139. A cunning plan

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN

Though the streets were deserted
in Vejer de la Frontera,
Roman getting out to take a photo
was less than ideal.

Click on map for detail

Wind died tonight. after four days it was getting tedious. Chatting today with new neighbours enthused about a sea side campsite and hour* south of here, Camping Torre de la Peña so we went for a look. The off motorway route took us through the beautiful hilltop village of Vejer de la Frontera. 

Rolled down to Camping Torre de la and after two turns worked out the the campsite was both seaside and hillside divided by the road with the office hillside. Got a welcome from the office and permission to explore with Roman leading the way.

Fantastic views from the village Vejer de la Frontera

On our way round the seaside campsite we fell into conversation with an Aussy couple who have been to Morocco many times and returning, and a wealth of information. While Roman explored their campervan and operated their electric steps they gave me great information about where to stay and were very encouraging regarding Morocco as a place to take the family, knew the campsites and route I am considering and made many excellent suggestions, the best fit for us below. They have stayed recently at all the sites recommended.

1. Day One
1. Take the ferry from Tarifa to Tangier
2. Drive to Moulay Bousselham, Kénitra, Morocco, 130 km
3. Stop the night at Camping International, Moulay Bousselham
2. Day Two
1. Drive to Mohammedia, just before Casablanca, 205km
2. Camping Ocean Blue
3. Day Three
1. Explore Casablanca - it's not flash according to the Aussies
4. Day Four
1. Drive to Marrakech, 270km
2. Stop the night at Campsite Les Relais
5. Day Five
1. Visit Marrakech
6. Day Six
1. Drive to Agadir, 260 km
2. Stay at Campsite Atlantica Parc, the destination I found three months ago and heartily recommended by the Aussies

Jacqueline and Audrey back from Blighty tomorrow. Not surprisingly, they have had a great time. Visiting Seville Friday then hoping to depart for Morocco this weekend. Keen to move on.

*at fifty miles per hour, avoiding motorways

138. Small things

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN

Coming from NZ one would think we would be used to wind however I think that a couple of years in the UK has made me soft. For the last three days the wind has blown eighteen to twenty three knots continuously. When the wind gets over twenty knots the caravan shakes a bit. Each morning the awning is full of leaves blown under the door. It isn't a great issue, mustn't grumble, but it is a bit tedious.

Invited to drinks at neighbours tonight leaving the kids watching a DVD which was nice, made a quick dinner then children put themselves to bed as I was online for the next few hours for a NZ board meeting. Virtual meetings may be the future but I must say it is not easy when you are the only one not in the room and can't always hear everything however it is great that I can travel and dial into necessary meetings, as required.

The boy's day...

Making Cousin Lucas in NZ jealous

Playing with Audrey's Playmoble while she is away

Gladiators (they bought an awful book on
Gladiators while we were at the Roman ruins)

137. James, Matt and me

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN

Space Rocket for Mr Hop and Cuddly
made many journeys today.
Note new ramp freshly installed.
Three engines means this rocket is quite loud.

Sat through two reluctant online maths lessons with Roman today as on review, he has managed to do the barest minimum. Reward for this was us all (sans Jacqueline and Audrey in Blighty) watching The Grand Tour which I'll admit I'm a sucker for. 

Observed with surprise that James May has had a haircut and also observed that I was possibly as ridiculous and decided to change what was now a thirty year habit.

Roman and I went off* in the Disco to get some more car cleaner, groceries and a haircut for me, armed with the attached snap of Matt Damon for inspiration. Google informed me that the local barber, Caballero Eduardo barbershop reopened at five thirty so at five thirty two we arrived and found, to my relief that it was open, empty and the barber lounging in the chair messaging on his phone.

My hair doppelgänger

I walked in, said Ola, he grunted a reply and went on messaging. No problem, we had plenty of time. After maybe five minutes of standing there I decided for amusement to see just how long he would ignore me. Roman fidgeted a bit, the man kept messaging, Roman inspected everything in the shop which the man appeared not to mind so why should I though I was glad he didn't start or drop any of the big electric clippers. After playing with the hair wash station Roman then settled down first with a National Geographic (impressed with photos of "the girl lion is giving the big lion a piggyback"(nuff said)) then two Spanish Asterix books. Eventually Roman said why isn't he cutting your hair? The chair occupant laughed and said in perfect English I'm not the barber, he has gone out to collect his girls from school and will be back soon. Turned out the chair occupant is from Madrid and he and Roman had a big talk about, well, pretty much everything except the lions and I continued to stand there. Their conversation continued after the barber ran in the door and cut the mans hair, very carefully for about fifteen or twenty minutes with Roman in close attendance, circulating the chair to keep out of the barbers way. They didn't seem to mind so why should I?

When it was my turn I showed him the aforementioned snap and he didn't laugh or recommend a plastic surgeon. Masses of hair, another fifteen or twenty minutes and only ten euros later I emerged, feeling quite Mattish.

*I am now wise in the ways of siesta

Photo added 31 Jan
As requested by Mary & Stuff (Brian)
Note: I said I felt Mattish,
never claimed I looked Mattish!

136. Stoned

Barbate, Cádiz, Spain

Hauled reluctant children out this afternoon to Barbate about an hour south for no other reason than to escape camp. Being a Sunday the roads were mostly deserted and we drove slowly as one does on a Sunday drive and also because Iris sitting in the back was complaining of not feeling well and having a headache which is unusual. 

The whole canopy is Stone Trees

The eastern part of the drive (blue route in the map) was through a National Park with beautiful Stone Pine trees which have parasol shaped tops and grow to, I am guessing, about eight metres. Quite different from anything I have seen before and the park was full of them as the dominant tree.

Turned out Iris had a temperature so it wasn't a big trip out so the boys and I watched Grand Tour while she slept. Tonight I talked to family and friends in NZ again so now I am writing this at one thirty in the morning which doesn't make for a prompt start in the morning.

135. A simple day

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN

A domestic day of little note except to say that I am delighted that a double sheet washes beautifully in our little washing machine. I sat next to the machine, catching up on emails while each load went through, in the sun, which was pleasant. Hot water has to be carried from the ablutions block in two five litre water bottles and the roller waste containers emptied.

Again discovered that shops open and shut at quite different times to what Google states but we did get grocery shopping done for once so that we don't get caught out tomorrow with everything closed.

Jac and Audrey having a great time in the UK. Audrey went to her old soccer practice and had an exciting catch up with friends and has had a lovely time with her cousins also.

134. Dancing with the Stars

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN

Much excitement in camp as the camp restaurant is putting on Dinner with Flamenco Dancing. Roman told me I am excited cause I have never been to a four star restaurant before. Didn't have the heart to tell him that that will remain the case.

Children spent the day alternately doing maths online, playing on the computers and gloating about their fortunes*

New water supply fitting arrived today which I installed, flinging the old unit into the bin with joy.

The dinner was great fun though Roman stated that four star meals aren't as nice as caravan meals. Roman's review after the meal the chips were too soft, the chicken was too spicy and the dessert yucky. The starter of pumpkin soup was alright, the bread roll yummy. This gastronome is a tough nut to crack even for this four star establishment. Living in Bray**, has obviously left an impression on him.

After dinner the performance started. Roman disappeared then reappeared with toilet paper stuffed in his ears to the delight of the neighbouring tables.

Four star meals

Video by Roman

* Fifteen minutes computer play and fifty cents for each maths module they complete

** The Fat Duck Restaurant, Bray, our local when we lived in Bray, Chief Heston Blumenthal, awarded three Michelin stars, restaurant of the year, Best Restaurant in the World and Best Restaurant in the UK, never dined there for obvious reasons, the lessor of which is the six month waiting list for evening dining. Click on the link then click on book your seat for the other reason

133. Then there were four

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN 

Roman at the check-in got to stand on the bag pedal.
The woman is laughing as he did so before she was ready
so she had to dive through the rubber curtain to grab it. 

Up in good time to get Jacqueline and Audrey to Jerez airport an hour away for their trip to Blighty. Set TomTom to winding roads/avoid motorways on the way home arriving a bit after midday. Again fast north, slow south. 

Driving through the campground I look at our old site that was booked from yesterday meaning that we had to move. It now sits vacant I note with a thin smile.

After shower, lunch etc. we biked into Conil for groceries, bike shop and possibly a haircut completely forgetting about the siesta, yet again.  Hung around the cycle shop till after three then learned that they don't reopen till five thirty.

Fyfe's home sign written shirt
Roderick's band

Thanks Mary & Stuff
Shot glasses make great egg cups

They dry stack em.
Lots of sealer round the inner panel

Visited the local cemetery on the way into town

132. Back in allied territory

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN 

Site move today as the long termers that had delayed their arrival due to ill health were due today. Moving within the campsite is tedious as it is almost as much work as moving a hundred miles. I checked with the office twice, including this morning to see if they had delayed again, unfortunately, they are on track for arrival today.

€1.80 strip from the hardware store
across the road

A sea of blue

Had a great yarn with a gent who is friends with people who are arriving today, yesterday. During conversation he discretely asked if I had had any issues with the neighbours. I laughed and said that they were dreadful, rude and unfriendly. He smiled and said that the two German and one Swiss campers that were next to us are famously difficult. I was surprised at how relieved I felt following this conversation as I had been wondering* if I was the arse?

The last campsite had grass, which was nice, however our new site is back on sand so we have also carpeted our site with ground sheets. I am not surprised to see that the people we decamped for have not materialised.

Early start tomorrow with Audrey and Jacqueline off to Blighty

*Comments are closed on this as, obviously, I am 

131. Water torture

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN

Last night, biked in the dark to the supermarket to get baguettes for our trip to Seville today. Got away in good time for Seville this morning and had a wonderful day in the regional capital.

Jacqueline woke this morning and announced that we were not going to Seville as she has to pack for going to the UK with Audrey on Thursday for her diabetes appointment. Fair enough but disappointing. Feels like we have lost inertia on this trip however, on reflection, it has been a big month for the family and particularly for Jacqueline and now Jacqueline and Audrey going to the UK for a week a further challenge.

At lunch time I noticed, to my horror that the carpet under the door mat was soaked yet again. I couldn't believe it. I have tracked the leak to the frost drain tap from the hot water cylinder and have replaced the hose clip. I have now admitted defeat and disconnected from the water main as the constant pressure has proved more than both the Giantavan and I can endure. We are now on the 12V submersible pump and forty litre roller tank. This is additionally tedious as I have yet to replace the micro switch in the tap as Jacqueline is picking it up from Elizabeth and Tony's on this trip so you have to open the tap and then hold the button on. Needs must.

This evening the children and I were dispatched to the beach. While the children dug and built in the sand I yarned on the phone to Paul while he was driving home from work to Holyport, we yacked until the sun set over the water which was great though prevented me taking photos of the fantastic colours.

130. Möbius loop*

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN

First job was to source a bolt to replace the one I lost. Biked into Conil and found a reasonably sized repair outfit who were happy to give me a couple of suitable bolts. Asked if they could fit the left EGR and they stated they didn't have a code reader - sigh, back to that bollocks. Told them, all via Google translate that I would bring the car in. Supermarket shop on the the way home with the bike groaning with stuff, including eight litres of milk, plus potato bags etc cable tied to the sides and back.

Put four loads of washing through our little machine while working on the Disco.

Fitted the bolt, reassembled and the Disco fired up perfectly. Must admit a certain sense of relief. Iris and I then went back to the repair outfit to show them the car and got the same story. Tried to explain that a code reader wasn't required as there wasn't a fault but drew a blank. Have decided to chance lady luck. Have replaced half the problem valves so there is half a chance that the problem is fixed. I have the other one with me and will look for a more suitable workshop as I go.

Went back to the pharmacy that was getting the vaccines in. When I asked the pharmacist looked completely blank and said that they don't stock flu vaccines. Luckily, another assistant overheard the Google translate or recognised us and took him out the back and I saw them opening a fridge which was encouraging. He came back with five and said that was all they have - double sigh. A stepped over to the other assistant and held up six fingers. She took the hombre estúpido out the back and he came back with the six that we needed.

Walk of Doom II

Home via the supermarket, started dinner then all aboard for the medical centre with jabs in hand. Through the same process as last time even down to the doctor reappearing after the first had gone into the room. ¿Cómo conseguiste estos sin receta y quién se los vendió? Turns out we needed a prescription to buy the jabs which required individual doctors appointments! Hang on, we were here "at the doctors" three days ago and no mention of it was made then! I am street wise enough to not finger the offending pharmacy and said I got them in town (not strictly true). Jacqueline managed to explain that Audrey is type one diabetes and we have been instructed to get vaccinated. Turns out they were able to stab us, one stab each and one for my wallet for good measure.

* a one sided strip of paper

129. Celebrating something

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN

Great excitement today for the St. Sebastian festival parade. From what I can discern this is where the locals parade with horses and floats and drink their way from Conil to a park about five kilometres away, stoping at this campsite forecourt to regroup and have lunch. The campsite is locked with only foot access and the friendly caretaker on the gate, whom we all know. The celebration started arriving at about ten thirty and there turned out that the parade was about a kilometre long. From observation the respectables arrived on horseback with family in carriages. Highly refined and elegant they were friendly but maintained the necessary distance as reflected their station, drinking elegantly upon high.

Gradually horse drawn gave way to tractors and singing and dancing made way for blasting PAs the last floats blasting pop hits re-karoked into Spanish with the corresponding drongos and young in tow carrying their cardboard wine casks. My guess is that there were twenty or thirty floats in total.

It was a fabulous atmosphere and a real surprise down here in the south of Spain is how mono-cultural the population is particularly considering how close we are to Africa, virtually in sight. The population here makes Christchurch's population diverse, by contrast.

My dad had this exact tractor - wonderful

Stood watching the parade for a couple of hours with Matthew and Claire until tottering back into camp for lunch with museum back. Matthew and Claire joined us for the afternoon even though they were leaving for Gibraltar*. They are then heading into the Algarve to join friends for a couple of weeks then hopefully joining us in Morocco mid February. We will miss them and Roman will certainly miss Edward.

Roman keen on emptying grey water

After Matthew and Claire left I tackled the Disco EGR valve installation and got the starboard side finished using a bolt from the other side. Unable to work out how to remove the port side I consulted forums which state that EGR valve replacement is tricky and the left side extremely tricky recommending that the offending exhaust running past the EGR valve be levered aside while replacing.  I cry uncle and am going to get a man to do it.

Simple holiday = simple play
Brown Bunny - Fyfe
Pink Bunny - Audrey
Barnaby - Iris

Tomorrow I will bike into Conil and attempt to get a suitable replacement bolt for the one I lost.

Absolutely loving Iggy Confidential on BBC iPlayer Radio 6. A breath of fresh air with an eclectic mix. Thank you Matthew for the recommendation, great parting gift..

*Roman calls it Travolter which delights - long may it last

128. Knuckle cracking

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN 

The EGR valves arrived today so after a bit of research realised I needed a T27 Torx bit as well as tools. Went into the local private hardware store with Matthew, his son Edward (4) and Roman. Ummed and ahed over a comprehensive, briefcase sized tool set  at eighty euros that contained everything I needed and decided it was too heavy and too expensive and decided to look elsewhere. Drove to another hardware store and wrote down what I needed and the old gaffer shook his head but when I spotted the bit I needed in a set in a display case a younger guy sold me the bit individually for €1.50 - success.

Feeling chuffed I headed back to camp. Matthew had a few ½ sockets and a ratchet with an extension and I also borrowed a nice little Teng ¼ drive set for smaller sockets from another camper and an adapter to drive the purchased torx bit.

Roman up at Edward's set up competing veg shops 

At this point, feeling pleased with myself I cracked on. That is to say I cracked my knuckles a few times undoing some very hard to get at bolts. Eventually I got the starboard EGR valve off and in the process of fitting the new valve in its impossible location while aligning the new stainless gasket bumped the rear torx bolt out of its flange and it rattled into the depths of the Disco's engine bay - bugger, have to take the sump guard off now. Duly did this and no sign of the bolt - double bugger. Posted Fyfe under the car with a torch and magnet without success. I think it is M6 and I think a cap screw will do the job nicely but that will have to wait till Monday as everything is shut now. Were I in the UK I would just Amazon Prime it for tomorrow or Monday but here eBay seems to take about a week. 

Tackled the port side EGR and quickly realised I needed spanners. There is also an exhaust pipe in the way so that will take some investigation. Where is Mr Luney and his tools when I need him? In hindsight I failed this morning. Roady wanted a total €930 to do this job. So far I have only spent £220 plus the €1.5 torx bit. Should have bought the €80 tool set when I had the chance - false equation.

As I go to bed I have a disabled car, no shops open tomorrow for tools and a lost bolt that I will have to source - sounds like an own goal at this stage, but then for what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn.

Tomorrow the San Sebastian Carnival passes the campsite stopping here at ten am. Should be fun.

127. Munted*

Baelo Claudia Roman Ruins

Finally made it to the Baelo Claudia Ruins. It is highly recommended by other campers though all warned us that we would have to pay entry as we didn't have UK passports as part of the EU.

Duly warned we told the nice man in the ticket office that we were happy to pay and it turned out to be the princely sum of three euro total for the adults and the children free. It is amazing how easy things are when one is happy to pay, the example again yesterday when Cádiz was rammed for parking on the street and spaces in the paid parking which cost us a little over two euro for the afternoon.

It's massive
Museum diorama

Aquaducts

We skipped the museum and went straight to the ruins as we had no idea of the scale or how long we needed to look around. It is beautifully laid out with walkways and signboards in Spanish and English which was a surprise. The cost alone of the signs must have been massive however, in this day and age a dedicated app would be appreciated for further information. After an hour we went back to the car for our previously assembled baguettes as the signage had been very specific that no food was to be consumed on site and my impressionable young are sticklers for protocol. Had we started with the museum we would have seen the excellent diorama and had a much better appreciation of the scale and layout.

The city was inhabited for eight hundred years from two hundred BC however earthquakes recked their havoc periodically making the city unusable. The aqueducts in the photos on the right show this damage dramatically and as they are up to eight kilometres long it must have been soul destroying. I certainly know how that feels!

The ground has built up
a couple of metres

Digs ceased for the winter

High Temple Steps 

Lunch time ant observing

The forum with shops at the edges and temple behind us

Tuna salt works

Roman, Roman Road

Amphitheatre

* Munted - click here for definition