77. Acclimatisation

CANDAS, ASTURIAS, SPAIN

Again, Eliza Doolittle's famous lines are still just as far off the mark. As I write, the rain is still drumming down.

Fyfe dragged out the makings of his shanghai which we completed thanks to a suitable forked stick from the last campground.  The inspiration was the plentiful acorns at the last few campsites however there are none to be found here. Fyfe had a happy time slinging stones at the breakwater, across the inlet.

Still coming to terms with

Great to be able to cook in the awning

shops closing in the middle of the day, catches me out every time.  Fuelled at the local, full service, service station which has one pump, and a queue.  

Forget it, it's not happening.

Went to the Carrefour Mega supermarket as we needed to stock up on gluten free product. Without noticing I must have become attuned to French supermarkets as we failed to get about a third of the list and gave up in frustration.  Like the French supermarkets, what you want is interspersed with what it would appear, nobody really wants, the department store bit in the middle.

What would one do with these?

Went to clean the Disco today but couldn't find the polish/cleaner.  Hunted high and low through the Disco and the Giantavan front locker.  On breaking on a downhill section en route for the supermarket there was a few clunks on the roof and a green spray bottle flashed past the windscreen and disappeared under the front of the car. Mystery solved.

76. Rain

CANDAS, ASTURIAS, SPAIN

View from caravan awning

Unfortunately, the rain in Spain does not stay mainly in the plain as Julie told us repeatedly.  We are in the hills of Northern Spain and it is raining cats and dogs - that's not right...

Board meeting finished in the early hours of this morning and when I returned to the Giantavan Jac was watching Cyote Ugly and so I stood and

View 20m ahead of the first view

MacDonnalds Glampa on the other side

watched, determined that I was off to bed imminently.  True to my word, I did, when the credits rolled. The net result was a super late start and rather than following through on my worthy intentions of getting the children into homework, after breakfast we rolled over to the MacDonnald Glampa for a cuppa and pretty much stayed the rest of the day while the combined children entertained themselves in the Giantavan.

It has always taken me at least a day to relax after board meetings so that is my justification for such a  slothful day, and I'm sticking to that story.

75. Popsicle

Candas, Asturias, Spain

We are now half way across the top bit of Spain. 

After enjoying the warm showers and heated floors and rooms in the last campsite I enquired on arrival as to the warmth of the showers, last night and got a beaming thumbs up. This morning I strode off, wearing two things, in the three degree clear morning into the unheated shower block but confident of a warm shower.  Stripped off and stood waiting for the warm to arrive.  Naked, I rushed around, turned on more showers, then sinks, then reduced the flow assuming I had beaten the system. By the time it dawned on me that no warmth would be forthcoming I was absolutely frozen.  It is amazing how long one takes to reheat.

We are behind the building, next to the sea

Camping Perlora where we are now makes a big thing of its ablution block and I will be easily impressed.  It is an impressive site with the sea crashing in on three sides and the lovely town of Candás a quick bike around a beach promenade.

Working our way across the top

Easy driving across the top of Spain. Glamper and Giantavan left at the same time with Brian and Sheena calling at the supermarket but not stopping, beating us here by twenty minutes. The first hour we drove listening to a Spannish tutorial with us all chorusing the words and phrases then The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as an Audiobook. We are hooked. We arrived in torrential rain so the family stayed in the car listening to Tom working the old Sunday School bible recital scam. I dashed around, registering then parking and levelling the Giantavan.  Fore and aft is done initially with the Disco's air suspension, then with the dolly wheel then locked in place with the corner jacks.  Port/starboard balance is done by reversing onto ramps.  All very quick and easy.

NZ board meeting from eight thirty tonight so the fan heater and I sat in the disco, both of us blowing hot air, as required.

Giantaramps

74. The long and winding road

Comillas - Spain

Today was always going to be a big drive however the application of technology and operator skill made the big drive huge. With the GPS programmed to avoid motorways and tolls we set off on our four and a half hour journey, marvelling at the beautiful autumn colours, loving the little towns and villages, the switchbacks in the road and the multiple climbs up to over five hundred metres. The MacDonalds in their Glamper half an hour behind us on whatever route they took.

Lunch stop

Audrey's snap out the window

At two thirty, two and half hours into the journey we pulled into a large industrial forecourt for a baguette lunch in the Giantavan.  Not really knowing where we were as we were happily following the green GPS line with the display set for altitude and direction, not ETA or km to go, we had a look at the map and discovered that Bidania-Goiatz (see above) was only a quarter of the way and at this rate we were facing a ten hour drive! 

Motorways and toll roads were the order of the day, dam the costs even though a brief foray, by mistake, onto a French toll road with the Giantavan for a few kilometres, a month ago, had cost us twenty eight euros. We cruised along beautiful motorway roads for a couple of hours, over beautiful viaducts and through lane, one way, tunnels with absolutely no traffic hassles. At the end of the motorway after backing out of the e-ticket line when our etoll device failed to beep and reinserting ourselves into a staffed booth lane we got nailed for two euro and eighty cents, almost a let down after intensive mental preparation and justification - almost.

Brian and family only beat us by twenty minutes in their Glamper for similar but different or possibly the same reasons. Didn't ask them why but understood it to be something to do with shop suckage. Our kids happily devoured the Glampervaner's pizza.

73. Spainish

San Sebastián

Last day in France so we explored a little of Spain, San Sebastián, via Hondarribia which is on the border.  If it weren't for the GPS rudely interrupting the trashy Spanish radio, booming YOU ARE NOW ENTERING SPAIN, and putting the appropriate flag on the screen in the Disco as we drove across the bridge over the Bidasoa Inlet we wouldn't have known we were crossing the border.

San Sebastián, from the playground

Both Hondarribia and San Sebastián are lovely with the later being much bigger than we were expecting.  For some reason we thought San Sebastián would be smaller than Biarritz. Driving through these towns is an absolute joy and there is more to explore than we can possibly achieve though we do need to step up our levels of exploring.

On the way home we topped up with diesel as we had heard it is significantly cheaper however it was €1.155/l which is similar to France.

Have agreed with the lovely MacDonalds that we will head past Santander tomorrow as the weather is deteriorating and we are keen to get to the west coast so looking at a five hour drive, with stops. As we have yet to pack anything it will be a busy morning.

72. Social

SAINT-JEAN-DE-LUZ - ATLANTIC COAST, NEAR SPAIN

Combi construction

A morning of celebration, the Tooth Fairy rewarded Fyfe (I suspect she had to get out of bed at about four in the morning, when she remembered) and Roman found the bumper bar U bracket for his Meccano VW Combi that had gone missing and completely stalled the build as it was not possible to proceed without a correctly installed bumper bar.

I had thought we were biking into the port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz today but discovered at two pm when various members of the female crew disappeared off to wash their hair that that was not going to happen.  In disgust I went off to pack up the boat and ended up going for a small sail but in a dying breeze.

By the time I had packed the boat ready for the Disco I was quite cold, returned to the Giantavan and got sucked into watching Captain America with the kids.  Actually I enjoyed it to my surprise.  Invited to evening drinks with the neighbours, Paul and Emma, with Brian and Sheena, after their son Leo reaches unconsciousness.  Really exciting as we haven't been invited to anything for months!

Turned out to be a great night, great company, learnt a lot and we really enjoyed ourselves.  Paul encouraged me to do the Postgraduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership that Kendal, our company chair has recommended. I have been keen and Paul did it a couple of years ago and said it was tremendous.

I write this, late with the rain drumming down, kicking myself for not getting the boat loaded, inverted on the Disco and when the rain ebbs I will shoot out to the lake shore and invert it.

71. Fisher Ave

SAINT-JEAN-DE-LUZ - ATLANTIC COAST, NEAR SPAIN

Displaying remarkable alacrity Jacqueline and Sheena disappeared back into Biarritz for the day. Fyfe was keep to go so that he could post his postcards and was only dissuaded by the promise of a bike trip into the local village.  Iris, her brain fused by a subversive gaming session for a couple of hours on discovering a gap in the school login on my laptop was in no mental state to go as nothing was right in the world, particularly her father. Amazing how gaming can turn a pleasant child into a feral monster.

Replacing the gaff's second mast jaw was a breeze. Must replace the halyard cleat.

Note the damage to the first jaw

We all set off for the village of Urrugne, fourteen hundred metres up the road.  Brian and Mary got a lesson in slow biking as today was a third gear day for Roman, Audrey ground her gears as usual, behind Roman.  Brian also learnt that Roman's first two gears are not available for road cycling and walked his bike into Urrugne with Roman after coming to a stop on the hill into town.  On arriving the post office had shut at midday and would not reopen until December the fifth and the three bakeries were shut also, one opening at four and the other two closed for a few weeks, the village store shut also. Only the three deserted bars were open. With the packed new supermarket two kilometres up the road, open all day, I cannot for the life of me work out what is killing off the village shops? Arrêtez de traiter vos clients comme s'ils étaient une nuisance et peut-être que votre entreprise survivra?

About four a caravan parked between the Royds' and MacDonnalds with a lovely couple, Paul and Emma with their toddler Leo.  Within a short time I could see a number of children peering out of their caravan which they took in their stride.  Iris announced that they were from Christchurch, New Zealand and in fact from Fisher Avenue, within sight of our house!  We are the first Kiwis they have met on their whole trip. They are returning after three months touring, a mine of information and taking their caravan back to NZ and possibly another.  Very enthusiastic and supporting about what we are doing which is always nice.

70. Another gaff

SAINT-JEAN-DE-LUZ - Atlantic coast, near Spain

Wonderful discovery this morning. My favorite weather site yr.no from Norway now has an App.  While a student pilot, Les, my instructor, got me on to it as you can look up the weather anywhere, even the top of Mt Cook, NZ. Handy when flying past to know what is up there and whether to put on a jacket before embarking. What sets yr.no apart is that it is hourly and gives wind speed in metres per second and direction. 1ms is 2 knots (1.94384) so today started with a eleven knot breeze at the local aerodrome or somewhere.  Here is was less, I'm guessing about eight knots because of the trees and terrain but warm and promising.

Spot the visitor

After washing myself, breakfast dishes etc. I strolled off with newly repaired gaff on my shoulder and lifejacket on my arm heading, with joy, for Teasel.  About thirty metres into the walk I thought about how the children have done no maths homework this week so returned to get them going.  Not for the faint hearted, but eventually got Jac helping Fyfe, down the other end of the Giantavan who was struggling with fractions (don't we all) and Roman to do some also by inviting Mary (next door glamper) to join them. It appears that Mary is enjoying having a little brother and our elder three are more than happy to share him.

By the time all this was settled, I set off again, only to find that the wind had died by about half 😡. While rigging, the halyard popped out of the worn plastic cleat and the gaff crashed down shattering the original gaff jaw.  I knew I should have made two.  In the end I did manage a couple of hours sailing on the lake which was very enjoyable though only had water gurgling under the bow about ten percent of the time.  As previously mentioned, a Mirror Dinghy is a delight to sail.

At about three in the afternoon the four youngest returned onto the lake and apart from securing provisions and ablutions stayed out until about two hours after dark.

69. Surf's up

Barritz 

Munted gaff jaw removed

New gaff jaw fitted

Woke to the sound of wind, not too much, nursary breeze and a boat that needs the gaff fixing as the eye for the mast jaw had pulled through. Tackled and completed the job as our departure times are always famously optimistic. Teasel now ship shape and Bristol fashion ready for the next day with breeze.

H&S France Style

Teasel ready for the next breeze

While working on the gaff, the groundsmen were polling the trees in the campground standing on a pallet and the cab of the ancient forklift. Interesting that Brussels has been blamed for so much in terms of laws and red tape in the UK.

Rammed

Jac in water, Fyfe able to resist

Audrey (Iris in background with snorkel)

We headed back to Biarritz with both Disco and Glamper, the Macdonalds stopping enroute for supplies. Plage du Port Vieux the iconic main beach beckoned and did not disappoint with few others to compete with apart from three octogenarian maidens swimming impressively out in the bay. Jacqueline, Audrey and Sheena where our swimmers.

Old bikes are de rigueur here

We returned to the Glamper for a late lunch then across the road to Plage de Milady, the famous surf beach.   There were no life guards on duty and I could see a rip working so the three girls played in the dumping surf without their boogie boards till it got dark when we transferred to the playground then home for a late combined dinner.

68. Coveting thy neighbours mask (and thy washing machine)

SAINT-JEAN-DE-LUZ - FRANCE (NEAR SPAIN)

We enjoyed the afternoon yesterday so much that we all easily agreed the plan for today which was to return to wonderful Biarritz, with the five children and one adult Discoed in on the first trip, (seven seats available) and then returning to collect the Mums with them possibly using the opportunity to have a look around town sans children.

The plan ran like clockwork with Brian and me saying hi while passing in the shower block, first thing. All that was required was gentle encouragement, keeping spouses and children on track.  I blame Brian as he is clearly leadership material and this was a wonderful opportunity for him to shine which would have embarrassed us into action.  At one pm, it dawned on me that maybe we had deviated from the plan and it was time for a new plan.  My suggestion that Mrs Royds and Mrs MacDonnald Disco to Biarritz unaccompanied was agreed, Mrs M unable to contain her grin at the prospect of the childless afternoon pretending to be grown-ups. By two Captain Audrey, First Mate Mary and the cabin boy were moored in the middle of the lake, scoffing lunch - Disco rolling out the gate with a cherry wave and the elder two kids off to the pool, now at twenty six degrees with the M families brand new masks to try.

Brian and I fed the camp laundry, rotated between pool and lake for awhile until I engaged Brian on the topic of his portable washing machine that Roman (7) had discovered the day before while fully exploring their Glamper and extensively briefed me on its design, merits and practical applications while scoffing his breakfast this morning.  Thus stimulated I surfed the online reviews that were remarkably favourable.

We set the little machine up in our awning and I threw in a collection of towels and bits and I must say it is impressive, and quick.

The only radio telephone message from the lake all afternoon was from Captain Audrey to say that it was too hot out on the lake.  Brian accepted responsibility, apologised and radioed back that he would turn the climate down immediately, on his phone, which satisfied the Captain.

As darkness fell the Mum's returned with shopping bags, the seafarers returned leaving a trail of sails, life jackets, provisions and boat scattered around half the lake and joined the swimmers, already ensconced in a video. Luckily the shore crew was more than happy to collect everything up, drag the boat right across the beach again, put the cover on and bring everything back though I must say my legs went a bit jelly dragging the boat across the soft sand with the little wheels digging in.

While the kids were finishing their videos in the Giantavan the Mums did a show and tell for the Dads in the Glamper and we were impressed by how much they had achieved while in town.

Another great day.

67. Inspiration robbed

Biarritz

Central Biarritz where we parked

Team day with the MacDonalds (we now know their surname) into Barritz for the day.  They are a good fit for us as they seem equally incapable of getting away to a cracking start in the morning and like us inclined to waste the best part of the day as my dad used to say, returning to the farmhouse at seven in the morning having shifted, singlehandedly, five irrigation lines in the preceding two and a half hours.

The plan was they would head off in their motorhome, stopping for shared provisions at the local supermarket, and park in a well positioned Aire de Camping-cars.  Meanwhile, I would head into Biarritz, drop the family and return to the Aire in time to collect them and take them into Biarritz also.

Not having known them a long time it never crossed my mind that Sheena and Brian might hog all the misadventure leaving me bereft of yarns to massage into false news for my blog! On arriving in Biarritz I phoned them, only to discover that the GPS App that I had recommended had taken them on a torturous route only to return them to the campsite from the other direction half an hour later, while we enjoyed a charmed, unblogworthy trip into the very centre of Biarritz - the rotters.  As if that wasn't galling enough on arriving at the Aire they got charged the full twenty four hour occupant rate and the barrier arm failed to let them in leaving them stressed, blocking the entrance for the other motorhomes.  Eventually a local crone arrived and dragged a sheet of corrugated iron out from under a nearby shrub, placed it over the exit inductive loop and they had to enter via the exit.  Brian's phone call to me at this point sounded more like a call from Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees.  

Rather than collecting them we returned to the Aire for a slap up baguette lunch in their very swish motorhome while I threatened to dismember Roman if he kept fiddling with all the impressive controls and tech that drew his attention.

With two runs into the middle of town to get all nine of us in, I coin fed the meter and was punching the green button like a pensioner at a one armed bandit when a passing local pointed out the large Parking Gratuit sign beside the coin slot.  

Biarritz is fantastic, warm, virtually deserted, beautiful,  people sea bathing, as will we tomorrow.  We poked around with new delights round every corner.  It really is a remarkable place though over blessed with late twentieth century carbuncles that would be worthy challengers for New Zealand House in London's right to the description. Jacqueline and Brian headed off in the Motorhome for dinner provisions while Sheena and I headed for the camp to get spuds etc. started.

Childhood bike though ours didn't
have the megaphone exhaust

Brian greedily bagged another story as now the Aires' barrier arm wouldn't let him leave as his entering through the exit showed he should now be entering, not exiting.  A second appearance by the same crone was required to liberate the greedy chap.  The roast potatoes were baked before they managed to arrive at camp. Luckily I am not the type given to grudges and a pleasant evening was had by all.