The mountains in the distance on one side of us change colour with all the different conditions. Sometimes just stark dark mountains but still beautiful. The best time and colour is in the morning when the sun comes up and shines on them, they change from pinkish, through to yellow, red etc. The other morning the sun was coming up but over the mountains were very dark clouds, really heavy dark clouds full of rain. The sky was clear in the east where the sun was coming up. As the sun rose it cast its light on the mountains a fantastic rainbow appeared. The colours were fantastic.

After the sky’s cleared, we never got any rain from those sky’s by the way. Just thought I would mention that. I decided to go out on my bike. I had been looking at google and found a route which I was going to build myself up to for a couple of weeks time. As I went down the campsite driveway I thought I am going to go to Finestrat today and back. To get to Finestrat is all up hill about 7 km. I was having a good day and the legs were feeling good, and the help from the e bikes motor was doing well on a low setting. The bike has four settings of assistance, I was still on number one as I like to actually push myself. With an e bike you do still have to pedal and you only get assistance when you pedal. A lot of peaple think you just flick a switch and away you go. I got to Finestrat and turned left at the junction thinking I am going to go on, a nice downhill, I do like the downhills. As I was going down that hill I was thinking that I have to go on now because I don’t want to turn around and go back up that hill. I carried on up and down more hills and a couple of really nice hairpin bends then through the town of Orxeta. The scenery was fantastic but no time to stop and take photos I was on a mission. Besides I never had my camera with me and I think if I had of stopped my legs would have seized up. An hour later I was back on the campsite having done 22.7 km, an elevation of 408 metres, an average speed of 23 km per hour and a max speed of 50 km per hour that was the downhill bit.

Jeff and Jan our friends who live on this site said about going out for a coffee one day. They know we don’t do the big group going out days or nights but are happy to go out with just another couple. They come from Newton abbot in south Devon but Jeff spent the first ten years of his life in Barnstaple as a kid. I was telling him how much it has changed and he was telling me as a kid how it was. All very interesting. So off we strolled for a coffee or tea to a village called Ermita about a 20 min walk away. It’s the sort of village that has a church, a pharmacy, and a bar/ coffee shop. And locals that when you walk into the village stop talking and stare and mutter to each other….new blood. We set of at about 11 am and after coffee and tea we started to walk back a different way towards the sea and town of Villajoyosa as we were getting hungry now and thought a spot of lunch would be a good idea. Sat outside the cafe in the sun having a spot of lunch, with a beer or wine to wash it down. How very civilised. After lunch and a couple of drinks we started to head back for the campsite. Another pit stop at another bar Jeff and Jan go to just to refuel of course. Out of there and one more for the road up here says Jeff. Another small local bar. Well what can I say. We sat there drinking, chatting, laughing, and eating the tapas that kept appearing in front of us. Outside it had gone dark by now. One more for the road he said, I think we had one for every bloody road in spain. We got back to the campsite and have to pass the bar/ restaurant as you go through the entrance. You guessed it, a last night cap. So after going out for a coffee/ tea at 11 am it was now 10 pm. That night the wind got up (outside) really gusting and was blowing our huge mat we have down, all over the place, so in the middle of the night We were outside fighting to get that gathered up and put in the garage. The next day was very quiet for us, with me in bed most of it and Nikki being a bit fragile but a lot better than me. But as we say all the best times are the ones that are not planned.

We have had some really sunny days all this week, cold mornings but beautiful days. Long may it continue.

You will be pleased to know that the results from the Heinz Uk beans V Heinz spanish beans are in. This experiment has taken place in a controlled environment, the confined space of a camper van. No human bean was killed or seriously injured, but Nikki was slightly nauseas by some gas fumes. She has made a full recovery since. The results are UK beans 364 spanish beans 371 which means Nikki was right there are more beans in a spanish tin of Heinz baked beans than an UK tin. Rip of Britain strikes again. I will be writing to Heinz. Of course they will deny this and ask for a recount. Which is fair really, it should be the best of ten tins. But Nikki says she could not stand to be put through all that again, so in the interest of my marriage and health and safety this will be the only experiment on the matter. I would like to point out other beans are available. Now I wonder how many smarties are in a tube. No way.

Moving on. We have been out on our bikes, both together and separately. I had a great ride out the other day, up around the reservoir, got chased by a dog on the way he managed to get away, but then got a puncture in the way back, luckily it was just as I was near the campsite so it never went flat until I was back at the camper. I planned a route to take Nikki out which avoided a lot of main roads, going on the back roads and then dropping down on some main roads but all easy stuff and ending up at La Cala which has a nice little bay although the town is big. About a ten mile trip. It’s a stones throw from Benidorm which is just around the next corner about another two miles.

We have been down to the Chinese shop, not a take away but a shop that sells everything you need and everything you thought you needed. The Chinese shops are all over spain. It makes me wonder if the Chinese living in China when they go shopping do they buy genuine Chinese goods or Chinese copy goods. The local market on a Thursday is our stop for fruit and veg which is very good and cheap. The price you pay for this is having to dodge all the over 90,s with their shopping trolleys. Boy racers have got nothing on these ladies.

The weather has been a bit overcast but very mild. Yesterday was a really warm sunny day. The sort of day we want more of and sure we will get. We have more friends arriving soon, that’s if they can get down through France with all the blockades going on there. The fuel in France is as expensive as in the UK now but spain is cheaper. That’s us up to date. One last photo to remind you why we do this.

We got to Benicarlo and onto the campsite called Alegria Del Mar. We have been here before once or twice. It’s a good stopping point for us. Nice big pitches and close to the sea. Run by an English/ Spanish family. The part we always go in, there are only about twelve pitches so it’s nice and quiet. That is if you don’t count the spanish dogs and cockerels who can’t tell the time and are afraid of the dark. But that’s spain for you. We got set up and then grabbed a cold one from the fridge and the chairs and chilled in the afternoon sun. Happy days. Some old friends of ours who we met there three years ago were there again so good to catch up with them. The next day we decided to cycle from the campsite to Peniscola, it’s all flat along the promenade and about six miles away. I said to Nikki if at anytime you want to turn back just say, it she made it there, had a rest, cake and a drink and then cycled all the way back. A nice twelve mile round trip. I must add that I never had my power on for the whole trip which was just a challenge to myself. When we are here I often wander off to look at the sea, just out the back of the campsite among the big cacti.

After three nights here it was time to move on to our winter destination Villajoyosa. Again the sun was out while we cruised along. 1215 miles after getting off the ferry we arrived at camping imperium in Villajoyosa. We have been here once or twice before also. 1545 miles after leaving Woolacombe and having a bit of a tour before catching the ferry.

Before we could even turn the engine off as we got on our pitch we were greeted by old friends which was nice. All set up in the sun and a beer and a wine as a reward. The next day the weather was not so kind, thunder and lightning and heavy rain all morning. I did think about asking for a refund!

We have been out for a small bike ride today, just to get Nikki bike fit. Yesterday I went out on my own up and around the reservoir which is a ten mile loop. As soon as I get a bit of bike fitness back I will go out with a couple of friends here who are going out and doing about 50/60 km.

last year me and Nikki had a ongoing discussion about Heinz baked beans. Spanish versus English. She says there were more beans in the spanish tins and less sauce compared to the English ones. I said she was talking rubbish and they’re all the same. To prove my point I said I will count them. So the other night we had beans in our meal but before cooking them, yes I counted them. That was the Uk ones. The next time we have beans I will count the spanish Heinz beans but not in Spanish. I won’t tell you how many beans there were in the Uk tin, but will post the results in the next chapter of the blog, that’s if I can stop farting from eating all these beans.

Our two days at Soustons was not long enough but this year we are on a mission to get to the sun in spain. We biked around the lake with a stop at the cake shop to refuel. The French do know how to do cakes, and we know how to eat them. We walked down to the beach. The sea was rough and huge but the sun was out as we strolled along bare feet in the sand reminding ourselves that it was November and our friends we had left behind in the UK were huddled up indoors with the heating on while the rain and wind bashed against the windows.

When we left the next day we hit a traffic jam due to roadworks, but a good photo opportunity to see the camper from a different angle. Nikki took the photo with her phone. And yes we were stopped at the time.

It’s about an hour to the border from Soustons and we were soon in spain and climbing up over the Pyrenees and heading for our next stopover for the night which was to be a leisure centre carpark. We had been there before so knew it was safe and quiet.

Up early this morning and on the road by 8am, we had a long drive today to get to Benicarlo where we booked onto a campsite right by the sea. We have stayed here a few times before. There are a couple of routes to get there, one which I wanted to try but was advised not really suitable for a big camper so we stuck with the route sat nav was going to send us. I must say our new sat nav is doing very well. The route was nearly all motorway but we cruised along at about 60 mph. The motorway was really quiet as lorry’s are not allowed to drive on Sunday’s unless they are carrying perishable goods. The road was open, the sun was out, spanish radio was playing and we were clocking up the miles. We came off one section of motorway to a road that would take us over a huge mountain. Up and up and around hairpin bends we went. With a huge big drop off on my side and bend after bend it was interesting. Nikki was hanging on to the door handle and had stopped breathing and to be honest looked terrified. After the decent the other side with me saying I would love to do this on my skateboard or my bike when we got to the bottom and levelled out she started to breath again. Good job really as she had gone a bit red.

275 miles after leaving Cascante we arrived at The campsite at Benicarlo and parked up. Off for a shower and chair out in the sun with a nice cold beer. The long drive was worth it. We are here for three nights then move on to Villajoyosa.

Up bright and early to get to the ferry terminal, all of about five miles from the campsite out side Poole but don’t like to be late. Checked in and lined up waiting and one of the ferry terminal workers came up to us and asked if we minded being parked on the lower deck because they are having trouble with one of the doors so we have to drive on and turn around on the ferry so we can come of the same way at the other end. Trouble with the door, is the seal leaking I asked. No no it’s fine I knew as soon as I said that it sounded wrong he said. I told Nikki to get online and join the RNLA and get a couple of T shirts, that way if the ferry goes down when they come to rescue us they will see we are members and save us first. Luckily the ferry never sunk and we had a calm crossing.

We got off the ferry at 2pm and the idea was to drive to an aire we went to last year for the first night, but the sun was out and the roads were good so we went for plan B which was to drive a bit further. We are on a mission to get to spain this year because we only have three months away instead of our usual four because of changing our jobs next year. More of that later. We got to a bigger supermarket and decided that was enough driving, the light was fading fast, I was getting tired and hungry. Good nights sleep and loverly and quiet after the supermarket closed at 7.30 pm. In the morning Nikki strolled across to the supermarket to get a couple of French sticks etc. The name of the town was called Nozay where we were parked. Do you get the title now. We had breakfast and then fuelled up and out on the road heading for a campsite near Montendre called Twin lakes which we have stayed on before.

The drive was a long one and it was raining. The French have changed there speed limits from 90 to 80 kmh on some roads and you can get a speeding ticket now, so I had to watch my speed, and Nikki also watched it for me and the sat nav also told me if I was going over the limit. Trouble is the motorhome drives so nice and just wants to go. But we did save on fuel sticking to 55/60 mph. We were actually getting 27.4 mpg. Not bad at all for a 30 ft 5 ton campervan.

The idea of going back to Twin lakes was that when we were there three years ago we met two loverly couples and had such a laugh, down at the bar early doors. Sadly one of the guys died about 18 months ago. His wife has since sold the motorhome because it was to big for her on her own and bought a smaller one. We said we were going to go back to the site and raise a glass for dear old Bill, which we did. RIP Bill you were a star.

We left Twin lakes this morning and headed for our favourite aire Soustons which is where we will be for a couple of days before crossing into Spain on Saturday.

After leaving the Devizes campsite we headed for Rookesbury park, a campsite in Hampshire. After turning off the main road a long sweeping drive took us down into the campsite. What a fantastic campsite it was. Very quiet and right on the edge of Bere forest which I planned to explore. Not too many peaple here either because it closed the week we were there. We walked into Wickham the nearest village, through the forest and along a old railway line. Later that day I went to explore in the forest, talking to nobody except the trees and bushes and myself. No I am not going mad but there was no one else to talk to.

After a couple of days on the site we headed for Lipook which is where I had to get my levelling jacks serviced. Pulling into a small industrial estate and trying to find a small unit was fun but we found it. Greeted by an Eastern European  guy who said he was going to service my jacks. I told him about the loss of power to them and he started to scratch his head and started to take all the dash board panels off and then scratch his head again. I don’t think he had nits he was just trying to come up with solutions. At this point I was losing confidence in him. My motorhome is my baby and I said to him, shall I rebook for another day? His reply, if you come back another day the problem will still be here, I will fix it. I walked away and he turned to Nikki and said your husband does not trust me. She informed him that the motorhome was my baby.

While I was outside the workshop talking to another guy, I asked him if the guy pulling my motorhome apart knew his stuff. He assured me he will fix it and knows what he is doing and is very trustworthy. My confidence was restored. About an hour later the job was done, the fault found and the jacks serviced. I shook the guys hand and apologised to him for not trusting him. He was cool about it. We then left there and drove to our next campsite south lychett manor just outside Poole which is where we always start our winter trip and end it. Time to catch up with family and friends. And here we are today, Sunday with one more sleep and then on the ferry tomorrow morning and sail at 8.30 am to Cherbourg.