Ardales

Last night we sat until bed time with the side door of the van open. The moon, cast a light of a hundred flickering candles, lighting the waves as they lapped the shore. Pure tranquillity. All this, a short way from the casinos and high life of Marbella.

This morning, we both sat up on our bed and watched the sun rise over the bay through the roof window. A huge orange spotlight, casting shadows over the sand. A beautiful orange dawn, among a blue horizon. We had spent a quite night, the only sound some local fisherman returning in the early hours, which did not bother us. We were sited at the end of a gated community. Everywhere numerous security cameras, security signs, security lights and security grills. The price to pay for the Marbella lifestyle.

Mid morning, we left. O.K. Marge. Fancy a trip up into the hills? After a slow climb, luckily on a decent road, Marge reached the summit. We were 1065 metres above sea level. Then it was mostly downhill to Ronda, one of the most spectacularly located cities in Spain. It sits on a rocky outcrop, straddling a precipitous limestone cleft.

Upon arriving, a warning light appeared on the dashboard of the van. Upon investigation, it materialised it was a problem with the cooling system. At first we thought Marge had, had a 'hot flush', resulting from the slow uphill climb. The internet is a wonderful thing, and after some research, it seemed it was more a case of altitude sickness. The change in altitude had affected the coolant level. Luckily, after a few hours rest, Marge was back to her old self.

We enjoyed exploring Ronda. The bull ring there, is one of the oldest and most important in Spain.

The highlight, the New Bridge, over the three hundred and thirty feet Tajo Gorge, joining the old and new towns of Ronda.

Returning to Marge, we kept our fingers crossed the warning light would not reappear as we fired her up, and it didn't. So we set off to a small town that was to be our overnight stop. After negotiating Marge down some narrow lanes to access it, we decided we did not feel comfortable staying the night. So it was back through and up the mountains.

Just before we arrived at our new destination, we stopped to photograph a beautiful lake. We thought the view was pretty decent.

We are now settled by the lake in Ardales National Park. The area is likened to the Lake District. Marge was parked in an area recommended for vans on the internet, further up the road outside the restaurant were three other vans, but according to the parking sign, they should not have been there. Which was obviously the case, as, as we were preparing our dinner the local police arrived, escorting the three vans.

Oh dear, we thought, they're going to move us on. But no, Marge was O.K., right where she was. This evening we walked out a while, passing the local hotel, where on the road outside the open bar were two grey foxes. They seemed a little nervous, but also quite hungry.

Tonight's stop is so different in contrast to last nights. No sound of the sea to lull us to sleep, but instead, the sound of the wind rushing through the autumn trees.

We have just received a video of our grandson Elliot, taking his first few steps, after which he took a dive. He'll make a good footballer then!

Marbella

The early morning sky was a wash of pink. In the marina being Marge, the swanky dazzling white yachts, swung gently on their anchors. One of the them from Lymington, another from Southampton in Hampshire.

All of the other vans looked out across the marina, Marge, however had turned her back on them, preferring the view of the rock. She knows a decent view when she sees one!

It seemed a little bit strange this morning, to set off armed with English pounds.

Sorry Marge, but you're remaining in Spain. We promise not to repeat our recklessness of Cadiz. Crossing back in to Gibraltar seemed a little surreal.

In the high street, Marks and Spencer, Card Factory and Costa Coffee. We cycled towards the far end of the rock, giving up on all things touristy, After all, we were here just to take a look at Gibralter as a country. In the main street, following on from the High street, it seemed a little bit like Blackpool, with gift shops and fish and chip restaurants. Of course, at lunchtime we couldn't resist the lure of chips, after five weeks without them.

So we lunched at a traditional English pub, a little like the ones in the centre of London. Fish and Chips for Angela, and a mixed grill for John. However wonderful the weather is, there are somethings you miss from home. We were not sad to leave Gibraltar, it was dirty, busy, the driving terrible, considering it was a small space, with narrow roads. There could be no dispute regarding the comment, that scooter licences are given to the insane there! Sorry Gibraltar.

British you may be, and we can tick you off our list of places to visit, but we are unlikely to rush back anytime soon.

Around four o' clock we left the rock, once again a mass of cloud had descended above it. We understand that this occurs when the Levant wind blows in from the Mediterranean. Our journey late this afternoon was towards Marbella. We left the ring road an exit earlier than planned to visit a supermarket, where we thought we should be able to purchase tonic water for John. Surely, here on the Costa del Sol, there would be some takers for it.

Because of the area, Angela stayed with Marge, whilst John went in to the shop. Behind her, a pleasing vista of the mountains. We are aware, that it is necessary to be very vigilant along the coasts of the Costa del Sol and Costa Brava. Marge always has to be our priority.

This evening we are parked right by the beach, along with a young Australian couple in a hired campervan, in a suburb of Marbella. Who'd have thought Marge would be here?

Soon after we arrived, not having the urgency to cook an evening meal after our filling lunch, we walked through the waters of the Mediterranean, marvelling at a rather superb sand structure a couple had built, sadly to be spoiled by the incoming tide.

On the shoreline, a large jelly fish (size 12 foot for scale!) waned in the tidal water, and out to sea, a convoy of fishing boats left port for the deep fishing waters. We sat on a wall at the edge of the beach, drink in hand, to watch yet another sunset . This one with a difference, as the mountains stood between us and the horizon. Even after the sun had disappeared, the sky still remained bright, lit by fingers of pink light. Tomorrow we will be, who knows where. But hopefully, we'll get to experience yet another incredible sunset.

The lights and sunset Marbella Bay.

Gibraltar

Today we left our haven at La Barossa beach and set off in search of pastures new. Having stayed at the beach three nights, and despite constantly brushing Marge out, she still had sand in every crevice. But hey, that's the downside of staying at the beach, but also, a small price to pay.

We were not sure where we would be spending tonight when we set off, so just followed the coast road, stopping on route at a pretty bay, where we sat on the sea wall awhile watching the fisherman, the sea, and just general absorbing the calmness, along with the heat coming up from North Africa.

This is the joy of travelling with no agenda, taking your time, stopping when you want, staying a while. Before we left, we picked up a large oyster shell and interesting piece of rock to add to our collection. No wonder Marge is struggling up the hills, let's hope she will be able to take the strain of a few litres of wine before we return from France.

Talking of Marge, she was happy parked on the sand, keeping watch over some fellow Volkswagens.

The area we were travelling through is renowned for strong winds, and we could see why there were wind turbines as far as the eye could see. But for Marge it was a pain, and it was difficult holding her straight in the unforgiving cross wind. At lunchtime, we stopped at the town of Tarifa. Tarifa, is the first town on the Costa del Sol, or the Costa del Crime, as it was known in the seventies and eighties, when British criminals came here to retire. Ferries also leaves here for Morocco, and we did think about a day trip, but decided it best to research and plan a trip with Marge, possibly next year. Before we resumed our journey, we took time to decide where we would spend tonight. The internet told us that, at a lot of the overnight stops, people were being pestered by men knocking on their vans, asking for beer and money.

We couldn't be having any of that worry, so decided to head to a secure paid parking area at La Linea de la Concepcion.

The coast road to take us there was climbing and curving, with some great views. We stopped at a viewpoint car park to take photographs. Just before we left, a friend from home messaged us. This evening, she said she was off to a macrame class. Sorry, but Marge won't be at macrame tonight, she's off to Gibraltar!

And tonight, the rock of Gibraltar is the view out through Marge's windscreen. Before our evening meal, we couldn't resist popping over the border, After all it is British. So with passports in hand we breezed in. The supermarket just inside, boasted selling Waitrose products. It was all a little bizarre. Especially, watching the Spanish ladies in the bus shelter stash cigarettes inside bags and strapping them around their waistlines with heavy duty cling film. That's duty free for you!

The sunset this evening was totally different from the three previous nights. At first the sky was lit in a pink pearly light, gradually darkening to a burnt orange, the mountains and shipping, silhouetted in grey in the foreground. Stunning!

Tomorrow, we will cycle back across the border in to Gibraltar, which we are really looking forward to. Meanwhile the rock is virtually in darkness, lit by only a few white lights on the upper reaches. Marge we're at Gibraltar, who'd have believed it?