After a chilled out weekend, we don’t like to rush things. And as I have always said, it’s good to do nothing and then have a rest afterwards. So Nikki’s foot rested up after the weekend and me with itchy feet we caught a bus into Caceres. Really friendly driver spotted the tourist straight away and told us where to get off and where to catch the bus for the return journey. How do they know a stranger in their country before we even try to say something. Only a 15 minute bus ride to the city centre, but that was not what we came to see. That part is all shops and hundreds of people, and Nikki’s only got €20 pocket money to last until we get into Portugal. We wanted to see the old town Caceres so walked down through the park and down some smaller streets. 

The old town is a mixture of  architecture which is a blend of Roman, Islamic, Northern gothic and Italian and the whole of the old town is enclosed by a wall. It’s such a contrast from the old to the new of the new town with tall buildings etc. I know which one I prefer. There were a few tourists about but not too many so most of the time we were just roaming around on our own. There is a lot of shade between the buildings so it stays cool and casts some great shadows on the buildings and makes for interesting pictures I think. Will let you make your mind up on that one. Tomorrow is another chill day and then we hit the road again on Wednesday leaving Spain and entering into Portugal.

We left Hicksville, sorry Salamanca with our shirts still on our back and dodged the tumble weed as we left, only being chased down the road by a couple of rabid dogs. The road to Caceres our next destination was a motorway but hardly any traffic on it. It’s hard to explain that it’s a motorway and sometimes you don’t see another car for a mile or so, a truck in the distance which we pass. The road goes through some mountain passes and you know you’re high when you see the tops of the pylons at your eye level. 

The campsite at Caceres is great, we were told about it by a couple at the last place we were on, it’s terraced and every pitch has its own little private shower room including a toilet, wash basin, mirror, and hair dryer point and a small little stone sink outside for hand washing cloths etc. They said it would be too tight for us to get on the pitches as they found it tight with their 7 mtr camper and the site would probably put us at the top of the site where there is more room.

So we get to reception where we had read reviews about the staff not being very friendly to find a young Spanish lady to book us in. The reviews were right, I explained we were 9 metres long and are the roads tight. No problem she says, she does not drive motorhomes and I think the only thing she would drive is her parents up the wall. She gives us the map of the site and yes we are on the terraces so I drive off to find our pitch. Yes it was a bit tight getting on the pitch but luckily nothing on the pitch opposite so could reverse onto there and drive onto ours. We get set up and then think we really need some shopping so back to happy lady and ask about supermarket, too far too walk so back to camper and drive off to supermarket to stock up as we are staying here for five or six days. It is a great site and some Spanish magpies keep coming round for the bread I throw out for them. 

Nikki’s foot is a bit sore at the moment so we are just chilling in the sun, yes the sun is out for the weekend and then Monday we’re going into the old town of Caceres which is supposed to be really nice. 

A quick update while we have got good internet. So we have now travelled just over one thousand miles. Arriving at a small village called Pedrosillo 10 miles from Salamanca. The drive yesterday was a long one we stopped at a supermarket for some food and another quick stop for fuel further on. All together on the road for five hours, but it got us a lot further south and it’s sunny. The campsite we are on now is a really weird one, basic but with good showers and just off the motorway so easy exit easy entry tomorrow when we move off again. On one side of us we have huge big silos, at the other side across a field is a club with big flashing neon lights at night next to a hostel, opposite the entrance to the campsite is a 24 hr garage used by trucks to re fuel and park up for the night. It all looks a bit Hicksville. We had a walk into the local village and it was like a ghost town and I am sure I heard banjos playing, you know where I’m coming from. 

We are now in Spain and it’s bloody raining. The idea of this trip was to find sunshine. Will I get a refund. Ok up to now we have been really lucky with the weather as it is November. When we left Soustons the temperature had dropped after a very stormy day and night. 

We got on the motorway and headed for Zarautz just west of San sabastian, the roads were quiet as lorrys are not allowed to travel on the motorways on a Sunday unless carrying perishable goods. In the distance we could see mountains with snow on. Another adventure at the toll booth, when approaching them three of them were only 2.5 metres not good when your 3 metres high. And the others all had a HGV symbol and tag logo. So I just drove to one of them and put the hazards on thinking if following traffic saw the hazards on they woul avoid the lane, and they did. Nikki jumped out to pay and nowhere to pay, so press a little button and a voice speaks to you in French. Eventually they realize we are mad Engish and blocking a lane so speak in English and we are on our way again. 

Next it’s the border crossing, only two lanes open and police cars and armed police with balaclavas on standing every were and not missing a thing. I expect us to get pulled over but no we sail right on through. We eventually get to the campsite and are greeted by a loverly senorita who books us in for a couple of days and then shows us to are pitch. And we have a sea view. Great views from the campsite, you will have to believe me on that one. We are staying here  until tomorrow and then moving south. Going for a big drive to get further south and find some of that sunshine we came here for. So that’s us for now, hope you are all well. I do apologise for the lack of photos on these last two posts but if I don’t have a good internet connection I can not load them. As soon as I get a good connection will upload a few photos. Adios amigos.

So we eventually left the Twin lakes campsite at Montendre after a week. We only planned to stay a couple of days but the weather was so nice and the company and of course the bar. We went to settle the bill and for a weeks camping with electric hook up and four nights down the bar are bill came to €165 that’s about £120. So cheap compared to England or rip off Britain. 

We looked at the map and decided to have a bit of a drive to just north of Bayonne as the time is flying by and we are still only in France. We don’t plan a lot on this trip or I don’t and always said we will go where the wind blows us. Good job were not in England at the moment we would be blown well of the map. Hope your all ok.All the time we were at Twin lakes there was not a breath of wind and the day we said we were going a gentle breeze started so we new it was time to move on. 

After a 3 hour drive and only a quick stop for fuel and going on one small piece of toll road, that was fun having not used one before. Nikki got out as its on her side to pay and it all happened quickly, the barrier went up, jump in I said worrying the barrier would come down again. We made it no problem. We arrived at the aire Soustons plage, you enter through a barrier after paying €7 you find a spot and plug in to the electric. The fridge needs to stay cold for my beers you understand. We are over looking a lake and behind us is a pine forest then the beach. Only a five minute walk. Huge big surf but very messy. A walk round the lake today was just under four miles. Sun shining and now sat outside having a pint of the black stuff and Nikki having the last of her box of wine. Bon appetite till next time when we could be in Spain. 

Hi everyone,after leaving Fouras with no water we headed for a aire about 3/4 hour away which was by a canal and had electric and water. Got there and there was no way we were going to fit on there, only for those little campers, but we did fill up with water while we had the chance to. Out with the aire book and off to another about 1/2 hour away. Pulled in Nikki straight away said she did not like it so we had lunch sat there and decided to head for a campsite. No point in staying somewhere if she is not comfortable with the area. We arrived at the campsite called Twin lakes, one which we were thinking of going on anyway. The owner Gary greeted us and if he was any more layedback he would fall over. I said not sure how long were staying. No problem pay when you leave, park where you want. How far is the town for food shopping, half hour walk but just take my car he says. We park up and go down the little bar for a. Drink, just put it on the bill, pay when we leave, so if we never leave we will not have a bill. We meet a couple of the forum and have a laugh, good to be able to speak some English for a change. The next day is a bank holiday and there is a massive market down the road, the biggest one in the southwest of France  Gary gave us a lift to it and dropped us off at one end saying he would meet us at the other. This market stetches for two miles and took us two hours to walk from one end to the other and all we bought was a loaf of bread and a huge big cake with Nutella in, very nice. We repeat the next day when another English couple join us also.Thats going down the bar not the market. The weather is fantastic, misty mornings and by ten o’clock the sun is out no wind and its warm. Sorry to hear back in England your getting battered by storms. Not sure how long were staying here at the moment properly move on next week but for now here are hopefully a pic or two of the campsite.

So we have been on a aire for two days now right opposite a little fishing port watching the boats come and go. There were twenty campers on the aire being the weekend and a nice one everyone was out and about.18 French, 1 Dutch and us not seen another Brit yet. But the Burstner was the one getting all the attention. Moving off on Sunday down the coast.  Well that’s a week in France, well it will be tomorrow. We are down and to the side of   La Rochelle a place called Fouras. The aire is right next to the beach and when we got here on Sunday the area was busy being a weekend and a loverly sunny day. We walked up into the town of Fouras today and tried our French out. Mine consists of saying Bonjour to everyone and OO LA LA if I see a pretty French lady. Nikki’s is merlot. So we get by. The roads are really quiet compared to England and the fuel is cheaper.we are short of water today, my fault because I never filled up before we left the last aire at the port thinking I will fill up when we get to Fouras. Get to Fouras and the water is broken. Luckily I have 40 pints of Guinness on board as a emergency. We should be ok if a little smelly. So that’s up to date. heres some pics.  

So quick update, we got off the ferry and within a hour we had driven to a town called Montebourg, found the aire where we would spend the night. Parked up and walked into town and bought a bottle of wine for £1.95 Bargain. Small town with church bells going off every 15 minutes but no problem, slept well. Looked at map and decided to keep going south towards Mont St Michael a big castle like a Stately home on a island much like the one in Cornwall. Pulled into a motorway aire  on route and filled with fuel at £0.90 a litre and that’s motorway prices. Got to our aire for the night with the mont in the distance. We had to pay for this aire but it was right out in the sticks. Still only €10 including electric. Set off this morning and  we are now in a small village carpark  aire at a place called Grand Fougeray just below Rennes. Had a walk up the village shops and said hello to a few people.A couple of photos of the mont first one from the aire we were on.