Grenada, Andalusia

At nine o'clock clock yesterday evening a number of musicians appeared in the street adjacent to the site. After some tuning up, they began playing, mostly trumpets and drums, whilst they slow marched. The music was sombre and a little haunting.

The group walked around the block and the repetitive sound continued for an hour and a half. The tone of the music made us think they were practising for a funeral. Today has been one of those days. Everything went pear shaped from the off. The fuel station wasn't open as they were having a delivery, and the nearby Lidl didn't open at nine because the staff could unlock the front door. Eventually, both fuel station and supermarket opened, so John dealt with Marge and Angela sorted the shopping. Now running a little behind our navigation decided to send us around the houses, which turned out to be a good thing as in all the panic of trying to get sorted out John realised he hadn't replaced Marge's fuel filler cap. So we returned to the garage and of course it wasn't there. Why would someone take a locking fuel cap when they didn't have the keys for it? Fortunately Valdepenas was a fair sized town and with the help of a man at a hire car agency who telephoned a nearby vehicle parts supplier we were able to source another locking cap. Then we were on our way, albeit a little later, hoping the drive would be as easy as yesterday. Well we got that one wrong. It started well, nice flat straight roads passing hectares and hectares of olive groves that covered the valleys and the mountains.

How on earth they would harvest them we couldn't comprehend. Of course roads that cut around mountains also go through and over, suddenly the day warming we and Marge found ourselves slogging up some challenging inclines. 

Marge battled on and we made it to Granada. Never doubted you Marge.

Despite the sunshine and the heat, up on the ridges of the Sierra Nevada sat the last of the winter snow which seemed a little surreal. Later than we expected because we arrived at Granada just as the Spanish were going home for siesta, we pulled into the aire. We stayed here last year with Margery, our VW California and rated it highly, as it is secure and has clean toilets and showers, all for just over fifteen pounds. It is also close to the bus stop where you can take a bus to the Alhambra, but because we visited last year we used the time this afternoon to catch up on some washing. Angela wants you to be impressed that she hand washed, using her bucket and a sink, some of our clothing and our bedding, dried it, and had it all put away within three hours.

We are now fairly close to the Mediterranean coast. Malaga is a couple of hours away, so that's the direction we'll be heading. Hopefully it will feel cooler for us and Marge. Since we took her to the badlands she now displays two lights on her dashboard, abs and traction control. That'll probably be dirt on the sensor. Hopefully it will clear itself soon.

Valdepenas, Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha

After the stress of yesterday we enjoyed a pleasant night. As Angela ate her breakfast this morning a bee flitted between the blood red poppies behind Marge. These poppies are in abundance here, punctuating the wheat fields we drive by mile after mile. Today we were only driving for an hour and a half to Valdepenas. Soon into the journey we saw a line of windmills up on a ridge by a castle.

John thought we should drive into the nearby town to see if we could get up close. Oh dear, here we go again. We followed a motorhome up the tarmac road, parking by one of the windmills which was an information centre. In her best Spanglais, Spanish and English, Angela asked if we could drive up to the castle. Of course, so we continued. After the events of yesterday, always best to make some enquiries.

Molino Consuegra, twelve whitewashed windmills built in the nineteenth century to grind flour, now a popular Spanish visitor attraction. John had made a good call. And there was a small cafe in one of the windmills. Perfect.

So here we are now in the town of Valdepenas. The English couple from last night are here also. They have a problem with the gas supply to their freezer and have been recommended to visit someone close by to help them. After years of travelling in their motorhome this is going to be the last trip before selling the van. They've discovered cruising. The lady commented, that it was a worry wondering what might go wrong each day. It's not just Angela then. That's the problem with ageing, your confidence drops. So tonight's neighbours are German which we like as they are normally very quiet. It is very hot this evening and we are expecting an uncomfortable night. Tomorrow's temperature 39c. Let's hope Marge is happy with that. We know we won't be, so we're leaving early.

Los Yébenes

If you've been following the antics of Muddy Marge you'll know she's supposed to be still on her Scottish road trip. But they say events in life happen for a reason. If it wasn't for our premature departure from Scotland we wouldn't be in Southern Spain now. As us and Marge suffered from the intense heat yesterday afternoon we decided we would leave early this morning and then stop just after lunch for the day. Angela didn't feel well, she had an upset stomach, possibly caused by drinking the tap water at the site that said it was drinkable. Normally we don't drink water from taps in Europe unless boiled, and always buy bottled water. The temperature dropped significantly during the night which caught us out. So early morning required us to dig out warmer tops that we'd packed away. The onward drive cut through a patchwork of fields. In fact mile after mile of them.

The driving in Spain has been boring. Fields, industrial, and out of town shopping areas. We stopped at a service area for our first coffee in Spain. Accompanied by two large pain chocolate, or whatever they call them here. All for five pounds. Bargain. The driver of the coca cola delivery van admired Marge, as two other drivers did as they passed her later on. Stop flirting Marge. If only they knew what she was really like. Our lunchtime stop near to Madrid turned out to be unsuitable as the aire was in a very busy built up area. So we decided to drive on, first stopping at the nearby Decathlon to buy electrolyte tablets to put in our drinking water.

 John fancied a 4x4 stop at a castle about an hour's drive away. It was now 35c. As soon as we began to drive up to the castle Angela was unnerved. The drive up was steep and winding. Would Marge make it? Of course she did. John decided it wasn't right for us to stay the night there, so he took Marge back down the precarious track whilst Angela walked, feeling really out of sorts. Next overnight stop in a town was also no good so we pressed on. And here we are now away from castles, towns and heat.

Although high up it is warm but much fresher. There is just one other van here and surprisingly they are English, the woman pleased to see us, smiling and waving. Perhaps like Angela she likes safety in numbers. We had been travelling eleven hours when we arrived. Tomorrow proper plans need to be made. We are supposed to be on a holiday and for Angela it's starting to feel like an unpleasant challenge.

Agreda, province of Soria, in the autonomous community of Castile and León

We survived the night in The Badlands. It turned out the frogs were not our only immediate neighbours. Before we retired to bed last night, John stepped outside of Marge. Who was more shocked. The Wild pig accompanied by it's piglet or John?

Around eight thirty this morning we were on our way. We'd stayed the night around three miles from the main road, now to find our way back again. Because it is so hot here it was important we visited the The Bardenas Reales UNESCO Biosphere Reserve this morning. Situated in the semi-desert there would be nowhere to shelter from the sun. It was a wonderful morning.

The scenery fitting for a western. Being so dry, there was a lot of dust. At lunchtime we opened Marge up and the dust had even permeated inside. Marge, you dirty girl. On the way around Bardenas Reales we'd seen a couple in an open top Porsche. It did say no sports cars to drive through, I bet now this couple had taken note. There's probably dust in every crevice. Not sure of the fuel situation in this remote area we stopped to top up. The man who served us told us the temperature is normally 25c at this time of year. That would be perfect. We understand from home that we are now experiencing the same temperatures as the U.K. Not wanting to drive too far this afternoon we found a place half an hour away. It is just off the main road to Madrid on which the lorry drivers have little patience, so it's going to be a little testing for them tomorrow being stuck behind Marge. Our park up is on the outskirts of town on the site of a small former campsite. Toilets and showers are available all for free. The showers have no doors, so Angela opted for a pat down in Marge. John however was unfazed at anyone seeing his full Monty. Angela did however use the toilets. Two had doors that wouldn't shut properly, the third closed and locked. But it wouldn't unlock. 34c outside, a lot more in this small confined space. Now was not the time to play escape room. After much panic and by moving the lock to varying positions she was free. This is the third time since we've left home Angela had had a problem releasing herself from a locked toilet door. Ageing is not for the faint hearted.

Bardenas Reales de Navarra, Navarre ( Spain 31500 )

What a magical sunset last night. Whilst most people sat outside on the campsite they didn't notice the sky turn pink. Angela did, and walked down to the nearby bridge to watch the sky alight with colours of red, purple, pink and mauve.

Just her, and the trout fisherman who stood in the moving waters. Why would you want to miss this glorious spectacle? Before leaving this morning we walked up to the market.

Bought some fruit and veg before returning to Marge to pack up. Who sets off on a very warm day at midday? Well us and Marge of course. We've already decided, that tomorrow we must leave earlier, much earlier. Had we made a mistake? The road from St.-Jean-Pied,-du-Port took us high into the mountains, winding and steep. Motorcyclists  thinking they were invincible took risks that one day might not work out.

At the viewpoint, elevation now around a thousand metres we stopped for both us and Marge to take a break. Amazingly, Marge wasn't fazed by the climb, despite the outside temperature being 91 f. Then downhill towards the border with Spain, which we crossed without even realising. Sorry Marge, there's more slogging up hills. This time she became a little hot under the collar, but pulled through. Well done Marge! Once we left the mountains the drive became quite boring. Open plains as far as the eye could see.

We did however spot a number of storks feeding in a field, and then others nesting beside the road. Always love to see these birds. So here we are in the badlands of Spain. Hot, bothered and tired. The heat of the day so intense we had to stop for John to take a break from driving. We are in the area to visit the Bardenas Reales, a semi-desert national park. Overnighting, unless at one of the official sites is not allowed in the park, but there are a few places near to.

So after a drive of a few miles along an unmade road we arrived at a park up for 4x4's. It is remote.

COMMUNITY OF BARDENS

Bardenas Reales

PARKING SPACE NO. 47 FOR HUNTERS

LOCAL HUNTING AREA NA-10.042

Just us, the frogs in the nearby pond, a few birds and the cicadas. Peaceful you might think? Frogs and cicadas kicking off all night. Time to teach for the earplugs!