114. Repelled

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA, CADIZ, SPAIN

Hmmm - more thinking required.

Woke up to a lovely email from the campsite with alternative offerings which unfortunately are all very compromised either putting the awning in permanent shade due to the low sun angle or inaccessible by Giantavan due to hedges. Need to make a decision and research alternatives. Have enquired as to what is available from the twenty fourth.

Time to explore the area. Took the boat off the roof of the Disco as didn't want parking hassles in Seville, the agreed target last night.  Generally agreed this morning that Gibraltar would be our destination for today. Adults excited as none of us know much about Gibraltar and also hoping for a glimpse of Africa across the straights while driving, adding Tariffa enroute. 

Tarifa at the bottom of the route

Three baguettes were processed into nine filled rolls plus gluten free offerings and we were on our way, just like that, no problem.*

Easy driving to Tarifa on lovely single and dual carriage roads with traffic ignoring the eighty speed limit mostly sitting a bit over one hundred. The last part along the coast was stunning and we caught our first glimpses of Morocco - very exciting.

In Tarifa we were able to reverse up a one way lane due to the light traffic and nab a beach side park as the wind was up and being a twelve degree day we stayed in the Disco to eat our baguettes watching the kite surfers and admiring the view.

Morocco from Tarifa

Lunch stop

Quite a hilly road from Tarifa toward Gibraltar, felt quite like the Rimutaka Road in NZ. Many ancient wind turbines, not working, on top of what looks like power pylons. Quite ugly with many of them without the turbine house and blades to Romans fascination and speculation.

It is a long way around the bay to

Gibraltar is a dramatic sight

Gibraltar with the feeling that you are driving away, after being so tantalisingly close. Just before we got to Gibraltar we passed an excellent playground however the adults were all set on our playground that is Gibraltar. Very surprised to see a customs check point, something that we haven't seen since crossing the channel three months ago. Felt very proper entering Gibraltar in a UK reg car. Stopped by a UK police woman and asked for passports. Passports, never crossed our minds that we would need them! She firmly stated, no passports, no entry and turned us around and away. So much for The Schengen area, bloody Brits!

Happy kids / disappointed adults

The surprise and disappointment of three was outweighed by four when they realised that we were now going to drive directly past the same playground and our reason for not stopping previously now evaporated. While the adults sat looking at the rock, commiserating the children celebrated by running themselves ragged in the playground.

We are planning a counter attack on Gibraltar tomorrow, armed with passports.

*My Mum tells me that sarcasm is not becoming - whatever that means?