La Boulou

During last night we both felt too hot. Yes, too hot! Time to put our over-blanket away, thank goodness. Today we would be driving to the last Aire before the border with Spain. Excited Marge? Oh, there may be some hills to climb. Before leaving we took advantage of the services. Quick put the cassette toilet away before someone sees it. Why Marge? It appeared some of our European neighbours liked to give theirs a good polish. OCD Marge. OCD! 

A drive through the mountains, hills heavy with rocks meant lots of photo opportunities. The sun cast shadows across the unfurling tarmac. We'd driven this way before in our car a few years ago, but the drive in Marge was totally different. Slow and steady Marge please. Don't look down anybody! At one point three French drivers frustrated by Marge's careful approach overtook. Bloody hell! It's like being back in Italy. One of the points we stopped at was by the old road.

You could see it snaking around the rocks with a sheer drop to one side. It made us feel quite queasy. Although the drive was slow it was interesting and we much preferred it to life in the fast lane as we approached Perpignan. Angela really dislikes the drive around Perpignan. The approach road is shared with lots of lorries, which is why there are 'ladies in waiting' alongside the verge. Is she warm enough? Yes Marge. She's got thighs that could crack coconuts! Probably an asset in her line of work! 

By the time we arrived at La Boulou, just eight miles from the border we were glad to step out of Marge and sit in the sun behind her enjoying the view of the Pyrenees-Orientales. The wind funnelled down the nearby mountains. The temperature 19c, but the breeze made it feel cooler.

Marge is slotted between a French and Dutch van which should protect her from tonight's wing blowing from the west. It is very continental on the Aire tonight with vans also from Sweden, Poland, Belgium and England. Two Belgium vans arrived late afternoon. One, a new van was reversed back into a very large boulder. Ouch! It's not so new now. The second, with a suicidal wife who stood right behind it as her husband reversed badly. We know it's only a matter of time before we see one of these women knocked down. 

Needing to stretch our legs we walked along by the river Tech and into town, stopping for John to photograph a cage fungus.

At the tourist information office we asked about documents required to enter Spain. Thankfully all we need is proof of vaccination. 

This evening Angela is tired from the concentration of today's driving. Tomorrow we will cross in to Spain and head to the Costa Brava where we plan to spend a few days before heading back to France and making our way up to Cherbourg. In the meantime, time to drink some decent wine at around three euros a bottle. We've read that if you're invited to a French person's home you should take with you a bottle of wine that cost between ten and twenty euros. If you take sparkling wine, it must always be champagne. You won't be getting an invite then cheapskates! Seems not Marge.