108. New Years Eve

PORTIMAO, THE ALGARVE, PORTUGAL

Collected my frozen Mother from her, what appeared nice, apartment. Turns out there was no heating so the result is damp. We went to the office to formally book in as we arrived late last night, the lady there was good enough to give my Mum a fan heater. Unfortunately it proved to have a dodgy thermostat so only runs for a few seconds at a time so we can only run it at one kilowatt.

Roman knew that Mothers suitcase contained presents and had done well to wait a day so opening presents was the order of the day (after a cup of tea of course (not going to miss that opportunity for torture)).  It was very successful as the three older children had chosen their Grandma gifts on Amazon with Fyfe immediately disappearing into The Guinness Book of Records.  Roman's gift, a ground sensing helicopter like machine that had also been a particular hit with Mother's other grandchildren.

Ferrero Rocher chocolaté, not to be wasted on children!

Helped Brian to water his Glampa* and while doing so noticed neighbours (Christian and Eva Braun) dealing with a indicator on a stalk that had broken off their motorhome. Brian and I were happy to assist and noticed that although the fitting had broken the mounting screws off it was otherwise intact. We drilled the internal bracket and, using cable ties, back through the cable hole, onto the engine bay wall, effecting a first class, enduring repair. We were well pleased with ourselves. Later in the day Eva appeared with a box of chocolates, which was totally unnecessary but delicious and the lovely note above. I am amazed at the amount of maintenance that I do and have wondered how others cope.

Late in the afternoon, we learnt, via the children that the bar at the top of the camp was, not surprisingly, having a New Years Eve Party. We were happy to go but let the children convince us and have the win. We headed up at about ten thirty and I had the novel double experience of feeling young at a party and dancing to Abba or more specifically Mamma Mia!, a film I have managed to avoid to date.

Audrey and Roman walking home

It was a great night with an expat crowd in UK/Portuguese pub. The children enjoyed themselves immensely as did we, and met many lovely folk, not returning to the Giantavan till two something in the morning.

*Motorhome

107. About turn

Portimao, The Algarve, Portugal

Three weeks in one spot, plus Christmas, made for a massive job packing up today with the result that we didn't get on the road till about two. A two hundred and eight kilometre drive ahead with a maximum speed of eighty kilometres per hour, plus lunch, means arriving in the dark, which is always tedious.

Trip went very well till, four minutes to go, the GPS put us up a goat track what no car could manage. Managed to turn in an off road goat grazing area. My Mum took it all in her stride, that's fifty years of farming for you.

Loving our wifi booster system and really glad to have it as both the phone and and Vodafone Hotpoint exhausted thanks to two new laptops syncing photos etc. We are at the end of the camp ground and the signal is too weak for our laptops and phones to see it. Down here Kiwi Wifi is the strongest signal around now.

Nearly half a kilometre and quite a climb to my Mum's apartment.

A bit of a schmozzle on arriving in the dark as the super helpful camp guy was none too sure of his bearings and pointed to the north and said thats south. We set up right next to earthworks and realised that our awning would be in the lowest spot in the vicinity. On helping Brian park his Glamper I checked the compass app on my phone and discovered that we had orientated the Giantavan due south, ideal in NZ but not here. With the sun low in the sky as it is currently it would have meant that the awning would miss the sun completely and stay wet all day. Bit the bullet and did a two point turn, backed the caravan out, did a three point turn and backed the caravan to high ground and did a fifteen point placement.  Trees are a feature of European campsites and they do make things tricky manoeuvring the Giantavan with its large swing radius.

106. Shaken on land and air

COSTA DA CAPARICA - LISBON - PORTUGAL

Early start, for us, in time to meet Mother off the plane from LHR. Remembered to de-boat the Disco as the height would have been an issue at the airport. Children and parents both excited and such a thrill when she appeared, looking surprisingly chipper for her four am start. Lovely sixteen degree day here so we went exploring. Mothers first time in Portugal with the sum of her Portuguese knowledge being that Cousin Philippa and Gianni used to live here which equals our initial knowledge. Now that we have been here three weeks we are a mine of information as my Mother discovered with four children talking to her, for her benefit, simultaneously, all day.

Belem Tower

Fairly IIID Floatplane replica

First stop was the sixteenth century Fort Belem. We were ushered into a car park right alongside to our surprise. I guess it is because my Mother is the current Rotary President for her club which is handy. First thing to grab my attention was a full scale steel replica of the Fairly Biplane that was first to cross the Atlantic from Portugal to South America. It is fantastic, with incredible detail, including valve rockers, pilot and radiators.

President Royds

Slow down - idiots

The Balam Fort is lovely and as a World Heritage site significantly important but going by the huge queue very important to some. The Portuguese Maritime history is impressive and the population is significantly proud but as I have no data therefor no Planet Explorer we remained ignorant. I was fascinated / horrified to see a traditional boat being towed, way too fast with the painter tied way too high.  Each time it got out of line the painter pulled it over, almost broaching but they never backed off. I'm sure they were professionals but it graphically illustrated that qualifications doesn't necessarily mean that there is sense.

Sensible coffee prices here

Amelia Café

We then parked again near the navel museum as I was keen to show Mother the church that had impressed me earlier but that also had a sizable queue so we satisfied ourselves instead with MacDonalds. We took the long way home, exploring old Lisbon by Disco, up and down little cobbled streets feeling a bit like a Humvee in London. A chorus in the back signalled that it was vital for Grandma to experience Lisbon Custard Tarts so it was back to the previous café that had been such a success. I dropped enthusiastic tart appreciators off nearby and embarked on a car park crawl, luckily finding a park quarter of a mile up the road.

Tuk-tuk

Audrey restocking napkins

For a treat I suggested a Tuk-tuk ride back to the car. Google maps told me that it was a two euro Uber ride so I knew it wouldn't be expensive. A Tuk-tuk was promptly hailed and we were about to embark when the driver said it was a twenty euro minimum fare! The second Tuk-tuk would do it for ten. Seeing Roman's face I was snookered. Bear in mind that a taxi from the camp to the mall, nine kilometres away is seven euro. Anyway, it was great, the kids loved it, Grandma got more turbulence* thanks to the cobbles and the driver gave us a quick tour of the local sights. Jacqueline walked and looked into a couple of shops.

Back at camp, Mother met the famous MacDonalds and checked into her Granny Flat Cabin.

*From Mothers WhatsApp to family prior to collecting bag this morning Rough flight -air hostess sat down on passenger,  box of supplies fell over in galley. Arr 9.30 UK. All well. 

105. The day before she came

COSTA DA CAPARICA - LISBON - PORTUGAL

Iris spent the day on the piano

Booking our next campsite was today's priority, particularly with my Mum arriving tomorrow and needing additional accommodation.  Caravan space is not an issue but with it being winter and new year rooms are at a premium.  Eventually settled on Camping Alvor near Portimao in the middle of the Algarve on the coast. Unfortunately, at some point the arrival date defaulted to tomorrow rather than Saturday. I noticed immediately on booking and contacted the campsite but they have yet to correct it.

This afternoon Jacqueline and Sheena got sucked back into the mall with Fyfe sacrificed also but this did mean that I enjoyed a pleasant afternoon pottering around including cleaning the exterior of the caravan. Not going to the mall makes any alternative glow.

Really looking forward to my Mum coming tomorrow.

104. We will not write in that space

COSTA DA CAPARICA - LISBON - PORTUGAL

We're legal, number plate fitted.

Paid the campsite till Saturday as we will have a look at Lisbon with my Mum after she arrives Friday morning then head down to the Algarve for a few days, Saturday. Got a two person cabin, with ensuite and bedding near the Giantavan for thirty euros for Friday night which I felt was very reasonable.

Asked by my Mum when chatting on the phone this morning to organise presents for three of our children, for her to bring with her.  Not a problem, thanks to the wonders of Amazon Prime. Four of us went to the camp lounge and settled in for some online retail therapy on four of our computers. Had just ordered for Fyfe the Guinness Book of Records when a couple, older than me, rolled in, flopped into a sofa pulled out a tablet (wifi the reason for their visit) and proceeded to watch a French horror movie at full volume complete with screams and pleading and hacking sounds. The language barrier was complete but I gestured to the children and held my hands in an appealing gesture. When they bluntly said no, I used a more basic gesture so they replied in kind and stoically continued to watch for about another five minutes but I could see out of the corner of my eye that they were really angry, their ample facial and neck skin turning red with rage which was satisfying and induced a smiling calm in me as chatted and investigated Amazon.

I didn't - honest (from what I can see, nobody did)

With much muttering they heaved their combined bulk out of the sofa and, shouting in French, left however the woman did, shouting, stab her finger repeatedly on a sign on the wall, next to a blackboard which in English says Not allowed to write or draw in this space.  Point taken, thank you.

This is the first issue we have had with fellow campers so not bad in one hundred days considering what an arse I can be. Opposite the Giantavan is aged surfie, Gary in a motorhome who is a mine of information on camping in Morocco and has many contacts there. He knows the campsite in Agadir I am considering and approves. In his opinion, over the two hundred winters he has surfed Portugal and Morocco he has had way more issues in Portugal than Morocco. He has contacts at a surf school in Agadir and promises us a warm welcome and pricing if we follow his introduction. I am really looking forward to Morocco, hopefully in January.

103. Stuff

COSTA DA CAPARICA - LISBON - PORTUGAL

Not using the cooker shield at this stage.

Fyfe's Ripstick

First job of the day was to swap Iris' in-line-skates for a bigger size. The younger girls were out on their skates and Fyfe was mooching around. While those on the skate swapping expedition did the seemingly one hundred things necessary prior to going anywhere I shortened the ladder protector that blocked one of the tail lights. Eventually, we get away, me resigned to the likelihood of an extended visit with additional purchases. Always nice to be proved right though my contribution to achieving the target was an essential aerobatic kite for twelve euro. Much negotiation was had with Fyfe and eventually he deigned to let us purchase him a Ripstick and the necessary protection. When it was announced that Iris needed a swimsuit I went out to the car and cleaned the whole of the outside including the wheels for about an hour until I had mustered sufficient courage to venture back in again.

Fyfe rippin

Yet to get into my Christmas hammock.
Note my shortened ladder protector.

Brian had been intending to join us but on discovering that he only wanted an inner tube I had taken pity on him and got one for him. When we arrived home after dark I he made a poor job of hiding his gratitude on not having to go himself.

Calling in at the office I was delighted to see my number plate sitting at reception - thank you sister Elizabeth. We are probably going to stay here till Saturday, meeting my Mum off the plane Friday and exploring Lisbon with her. Algarve on Saturday.

The children skated in the dark till after nine as it is not cold with Fyfe declaring himself expert on the ripstick and loving it.  He has gone to bed with it.

102. Merry Christmas

COSTA DA CAPARICA - LISBON - PORTUGAL

Audrey's hand made stocking

Audrey's hand made stocking

Christmas propper started late in the Giantavan courtesy of Mother and Father Christmas coming home from Mary & Stuff* at two thirty then realising that we had to do the work of Santa's Elfs and wrap the presents.

Saw Brian about midday looking and exact facsimile of how I felt. He too, at two thirty am, had been informed that he was not about to slope off to bed as all the presents were yet to be wrapped. It was at this point, twelve hours later that we realised that the four of us could have wrapped and yacked from ten and totally avoided the own goal that left us in this state, Christmas morning.

Dam - Santa found us!

Children arrived at the unseemly hour of ten** in the morning, complete with Christmas stockings. Delightful as it was, two in the bed and four on top made for tropical conditions inside the bed. The unpacking of my Christmas stocking was deputised by the quorum and my appropriate reward was to be force fed white chocolate, via sweaty little hands, the chocolate which I am usually very fond, but not immediately on waking. I was able to feign enthusiasm and delight and got away with only eight segments which had my mouth approximating the equivalent of an unopened can of condensed milk. Seemed churlish to plead for temperate conditions so by the time the hoards departed in a rush so as to move the promised time of present opening forward I weakly crawled from the bed and stood steaming*** for some minutes.

Mary & Roman

First time in three months

Bacon and egg breakfast with waffles was the request of the children which, interspersed with phone calls to family, initially in NZ then the UK took us through to the early afternoon by which time a couple of rounds of Broken Orange Pekoe and pancreatic action had diluted my blood to the point where I could face eating something.

A pleasant afternoon followed including getting three vertical on roller blades/skates and accessorising Fyfes bike with a seat with a skull on it, reflectors and a stand. Unfortunately Fyfe returned from somewhere and caught me in the act of fitting Iris’ new front basket to his (new to him) beloved downhill bike before the task was completed.

Bike seat joy

Vertical

Thanks to modern farming techniques, we were able to purchase a chook that approximated a turkey which arrived complete with head and feet which I dispatched in private. It was already plucked for which I was grateful. Having a head and feet at my disposal presented all sorts of opportunities however a respect for Christmas and a healthy fear of my wife meant that the opportunity was wasted. This may be the first time that my applying discretion or self control has been recorded - am I loosing my edge?

The short day passed remarkably simply without meltdown which was a surprise considering how tired we all were.

Merry Christmas to all.

* Roman's noun for the McDonalds; Brian, Sheena and Mary

** Later discovered that sister Elizabeth and Tony and my Mum had been celebrating Christmas for four hours by this stage. When we phoned I think it was beyond Elizabeth’s comprehension to be allowed, by children, to start Christmas after the sun has risen

*** A mental image for readers to enjoy

101. Eve

COSTA DA CAPARICA - LISBON - PORTUGAL

Assuming shops still shut at midday, Sunday, the priority this morning was to return plastic boxes and get suitable ones. Iris came with me which assured that there would be no uncomfortable silences. Remarkably, the whole process was uneventful. Iris returned to the supermarket for maple syrup and I enjoyed watching a shepherd and wolf grazing a large flock of maybe two hundred goats on the land around the supermarket taking in about an acre at a time before bunching them tightly to cross the busy road.  Amused by the goats bunting each other to sort their differences or if a kid got in their way.  A dog walker came down the footpath and the wolf (German Shepard) put himself between the goats and the dog.  The whole display was impressive, I regret not taking a snap.

Spent quite a time catching up with UK friends on the phone then tonight UK family for Christmas.  At ten we went to Sheena and Brian's cabin for a get together prior to the big event.

Home now in the Giantavan doing the work for the big man in the red suit.

100. Its a 💯

COSTA DA CAPARICA - LISBON - PORTUGAL

The boxes that showed such promise

Late to bed, late to rise, not an auspicious start to the day💤

Spent a few hour trying to get reasonably priced tickets for my Mum from LHR for new year. Thirteen hundred was too steep but finally got there at about four hundred pounds which seemed ok after the initial shock.

Still got a leak, somewhere in the front which is frustrating. After talking to the nice man at Caravans Portugal who pointed out that Hobby Caravan front lockers leak into the front that was how I wanted to celebrate the century on the road.

This promise of water egress cessation motivated Jacqueline to start organising her clothes into the vacant space under out bed. This involved a trip back to the hardware store which also let me change the mastic I had purchased from cinzento to branco.  How did I make such an error? Prior to leaving I lit the BBQ as we were only going to be half an hour.

Jac was on the hunt for plastic containers for her clothes and successful after much Umming & ahhing. Quick shop at the supermarket next door (quick - ha) then on to a sports shop for wrist guards to go with the second hand roller blades purchased when we got Fyfe's bike. One hundred and sixty euro later with all manner of things we didn't know we needed we were out and home in just under three hours - no bad, six times the projected time, we are getting better

After. Shows I need to clean!

Before

Managed to pry the piano type, extruded hinge off the front of the Giantavan cutting the factory glue with a chisel. Used most of the new mastic reapplying the hinge and hope springs eternal.

PS It is midnight and J has just informed me that the plastic boxes purchased today for under the bed don't fit!

99. On the twelfth day of Christmas

COSTA DA CAPARICA - LISBON - PORTUGAL

Polite Whatsapp message from sister Elizabeth this morning which after passing through broterpret says For heavens sake, pull finger and let Mum know where she is meeting you for New Year as she needs to get her air tickets.

Late afternoon a courier turned up at the campsite office while Jac was in the camp laundry. The washing machine is eight euros per load so I am really kicking myself for not ordering a portable washing machine on Amazon Spain when we arrived. My decision was on the basis that Elizabeth sending our replacement number plate on a three day courier would mean that we would end up waiting for the ninety euro washing machine to arrive. That was nine days ago and looks like three day number plate courier will actually be a twelve day courier.  Visited the office on the off-chance that the courier was our courier but fat chance. Turns out that Portugal doesn't have weekend mail, with Monday Christmas day, Tuesday, Boxing day, is the soonest our replacement number plate can arrive though I would imagine the backlog of Christmas mail must be massive. 

Since arriving, we have now done five loads of washing so have spent forty euro. Suddenly the ninety euro machine seems value, had I ordered it.

98. Two successes and a strike out

COSTA DA CAPARICA - LISBON - PORTUGAL

Brake and tail lights

Tail lights

Woohoo, we have brake lights! 

Found a blown fuse in the left rear of the Disco which is physically smaller than the normal blade fuses I am used to. Who knew blade fuses come in four sizes? Brian raided his spares and produced his one and only mini fuse which did the trick.  Saved me about a thirty kilometre round trip - thank you Brian.

After yesterday's wifi data fiasco I dug out our Solwise wifi receiver and repeater kit. I had attempted to use it when I first received it a month ago but at the time camp wifi was five € per day so it was not very motivating.

After a couple of hours I had the rec room free camp wifi selected but unable to progress further.  The wifi hub is in the centre of the room and not designed for external broadcast. With

Static trailer in our site on Google Earth

heart in mouth I phoned the support line and after three rings got Steve.  Three rings! Steve, a middle aged man who spoke the same language! Steve, who was well versed in the product technically and hadn't just read the packaging! Three phone calls and two emails later we (Steve) had it sorted.

Two hundred and fourteen metres through trees and stuff to a free indoor wifi hub is impressive as the same wifi on my iPhone only lasts about thirty metres! I am impressed and using it to post this blog.

Bike rack makes good mounting point.
Fruit bag waterproofing.

With cheerful heart I biked to the office to pick up the number plate which Elizabeth posted, three day courier, eight days ago. The receptionist looked blank and said that there was no mail today.  I enquired what day it was and she said Thursday. I asked what days does mail normally come and she said weekdays. Thinking language difficulties I asked if Thursday was a weekday and fortunately, she realised I am a complete plank (I would have thought it was obvious, silly woman) and enquired as to whether I was aware of the nationwide postal strike that is in effect. Just remembered now that Elizabeth had the sense to opt for Track and Trace - Your item, posted on 13/12/17 with reference RN457638405GB has arrived in LISBON PORTUGAL and is being processed for delivery. Looks like we are here for another few days. Lucky time is not of the essence.

97. Disconnected

COSTA DA CAPARICA - LISBON - PORTUGAL

Today was a day of self imposed and imposed complexity with the result that the few jobs I had took the bulk of the day.  Visited a local caravan refurbisher who proved to be a mine of information regarding locating a new rear bumper and tail lights as well as how to fix an annoying damp-spot in the front of the caravan around the window. He was working on similar caravans and it is a recognised Hobby problem.  He noted that Hobby caravans are superior in every way to the UK caravans but the premium caravan is the Fendt.

Was having trouble remembering where the parts shop was so phoned Brian who thought it was near the Carrefour Supermarket but not exactly sure.  After the call finished Roman piped up from the back of the Disco Do you mean the Roady shop next to the Intermarche Super that we got the tail lights from? The solution was on-board from the start.

Mall suck got me again as Jac stayed at the mall till closing and when I went to collect her she was still in the supermarket.  I suspect malls are our twenty first century purgatory experience.

After waiting eleven days for our wifi dongle (Hotspot) to monthly reset its fifty gig of data I turned it on again yesterday. By the end of the day, though we were out, it used forty eight gig and sent a warning message that I would soon be paying per mb. Internet connection is one thing that I struggle with.  We have via phone and dongle one hundred gig per month.  We have not streamed any movies and made few video calls since we left the UK. When we lived in the UK we had fifty gig and never hit the cap and frequently downloaded movies. All very tedious.

96. All that frolics is not necessarily for following

COSTA DA CAPARICA - LISBON - PORTUGAL

Brian and Sheena paddling

After a massive hunt* for the Disco keys I gave up and used the spares - always deadly. Plugged in the Disco and everything worked, bar the brake lights which I have yet to tackle as the fault is in the Disco and the high level stop light which needs bulbs - tomorrows job.

Today was warm, lovely in fact, so a trip to the beach was in order and very glad we did. Children (ours and Mary) frolicking in the surf induced me to shed kit and gamble merrily into the first six inches of water, then stride manfully (in my opinion, not observers) up to my knees then, with flapping hands and gulps, up to my waist when I dived through the next wave. To be fair, I didn't actually get a head-freeze but it did diminish my resolve to continue for long (definition of long - about a minute). It crossed my mind - if this is the Gulf Stream that keeps the UK from freezing, two thousand kilometres north, then the UK must be a bloody cold place if this water warms it!

The little local supermarket has two freezers of fish, little chicken and no beef. On the storekeepers advice I bought frozen fish steaks for both families and ignored his advice to fry and baked them in the Giantavan. Wow, firm, fantastic and only ten euro. Will be repeating.

Our local, on a December Wednesday

* Turned up tonight in Fyfes bed