Torrox Costa, try saying that when you have had a few beers. So that’s where we are now, been here since Monday and staying until Monday. Nice site but very tight for motorhomes due to all the trees which provide shade in the summer here when it’s really hot. We had a great drive here up through the mountain roads etc and the scenerey was fantastic with the mountains either side and little houses dotted up the mountains. No idea how they get to them, perhaps they have a donkey instead of a car. 

We got set up and just chilling having a beer in the sun when a friend from Somerset  appeared round the corner. We have been tracking each other and was hoping to meet up with them at some place but then we were in different places etc so it looked like it was not going to happen. They had got fed up with the weather in Portugal and as they are only away for a month they decided to move on. Was great to see them and we had a real good laugh. 

Yesterday we walked to the beach, about twenty minutes away and along the promenade with the sea on one side and the high rise apartments on the other. Not really our cup of tea but nice to see, at least it’s not as bad as Benidorm. We felt quite young looking around, but you can see why the oldies come here for the winter as its cheap warm, and plenty of promenade for their mobility scooters. They probably go out at night and have races around the blocks of flats. We sat outside a bar in the sun watching the world go by and the scooters. The guys selling the watches and jewellery never far away. Today are friends left and are heading up the coast a bit further. As I said we leave here Monday and drive about a hour and half to the next destination which is a campsite right by the beach. See you there. 

Happy new year to you all. Hope you had a good one and not to many beers. No I lie hope you had lots of beer or wine but a happy new year. We spent the evening or the early part with friends in their RV with a few beers and a curry, not a late night, but did wake up to hear cheering and laughter and to see fireworks going off in the surrounding villages and towns.

We have now moved on from Mikki’s place to stay as we were to cut off and fed up with it there as so many problems with the campsite owners. Tell you when we see you. We drove out of Portagal and are now back in Spain at a place called Humilladero, only here for two nights as a rest point then off again tomorrow. On the way here we saw storks nesting on the electric pylons and even saw a few close up flying past. You would not one of them to hit your windscreen. And bought the cheapest fuel yet at 70p a litre. When we got here the campsite reception was closed so we found a pitch and set up and waited for them to open to book in. While we were waiting around we saw a load of pigeons flying around, but not your normal ol pigeon these have been dyed all colours and are fantastic to see in flight. Don’t ask me why they dye them because I don’t know but if I find out I will let you know. Enjoy the pics, they don’t do them justice as when in flight they look fantastic.

So sorry to hear most of you are having to put up with rain and wind on this day the 25th December 2015. We had to sit out in the sun eating chicken,steak, and sliced potatoes washed down with some Guinness and wine. Nikki had a day off from cooking while I did the BBQ. Happy holidays to you all.

Guess what….we had some rain, but only for a couple of hours but it came with thunder and lightening. And it was all over by 10 am, so we are not complaining about the weather. Saturday one of the guys here who has a 38ft RV needed to go out and get some gas, so I volunteered to go with him, any excuse for me to go in one. Only about 20 minutes down the road but nice to be in one again. 

We were tod the mini bus was going to a pub on Sunday 3pm -8pm and only two places left so we jumped at the chance, gets us off site. From the outside you would never go into the pub as its in a two horse town with all derelict buildings around it and real dodgy looking. But once inside it’s great, there are music posters everywhere and old instruments on the walls, a stage at one end. Sunday is Jamming session, no that’s not bread and jam to those that don’t know, it’s where anyone who plays a instrument comes in and joins in. Owned by a ex pat it it attract.s all sorts of people with different music tastes. The pub also did food so we had a Sunday roast, beef for me and chicken for Nikki, washed down with a drink or two.Ok maybe three or four. The music was great, but it all stopped at about 7-30 because they blew a fuse. But it was a great night. 

Today the we had to go shopping, Oh how much I looked forward to that, but with the promise of steak on the menu for Xmas day even though we don’t do Xmas I was up and ready to go. So off to Aldi it was, that’s the nearest shop the mini bus goes to. Got my steak and some other bits and pieces. The plan is to get the BBQ out on Xmas day and eat outside in the sun. Well that’s the plan. Will let you know. 

Wednesday we have been invited next door for a drink/ eat. They are Swiss and there are going to be a few people there from all over, some Swiss, German,Dutch, and some English so should be good. You take what you want to eat and drink and your chair and that way you can’t moan about the food. A great idea I think. So that’s us up to date, we are now sat outside in the sun just chilling. So as we don’t do Xmas I can’t say it so all I will say to you all is. Have a happy holiday, enjoy your time off work. 

A quick hello, as the Internet here is shite. So I have not forgotten you all but for the next month the blog will be a bit hit and miss. No wonder the Internet i free here. The campsite we are on is Mikki’s place to stay, gets a bit confusing with Mikki the owner me being Mikey, Nikki being Nikki, just hope no Pikki’s turn up. The owner Mikki is a artist who paints and does pottery which is everywhere. 

The sun has been doing us proud and we even had a spot of rain one night or it might have been two spots, but it kept the dust down. Since we left England now in our sixth week we have only had two days rain.The bar area is nice and good prices. We had to go there the other evening just for research. I had four beers Nikki three large glasses of wine and it cost us £9. Back home that would of been one round. We are parked next to a Swedish guy who speaks very good English and is into his hot rods, choppers and American cars so have had a few chats with him. He also gave us a lift to a wine shop yesterday because it sold Guinness so I could stock up, better than the crap lager. So 48 cans of Guinness and two boxes of wine later, we know we won’t go thirsty. Nikki’s wine is working out at about 70p a bottle. We may be overloaded going home.  

It’s our last night tonight at camping Albufeira, we have been here for six nights. We then move to Mikki’s a place to stay which is the only place we booked before coming away. We will be there for a whole month. It’s a site which is only about 18 months old so still being developed and only 60 places, a small bar etc. Should be interesting, not too sure what to expect but only one way to find out. Will keep you all posted. 

Yesterday we decided to back into the old town of Albufeira on the bus and treat ourselves to lunch out, just because we have not eaten out yet, got to save the ol euros a long way to go yet. Then we find out it’s a public holiday and the buses are a bit hit and miss. So it’s another walk back to the old town. We aim for the beach again. At the edge of the beach is a escalator which takes you up to the top of the cliff, how cool is that. At the other end of the beach is a lift which does the same, or you can go the normal way and walk up the paths or steps.  

 
After chilling out for a bit, it’s something we’re good at, and watching the fishermen dodging the waves while trying to catch their supper. I also had to keep one eye on the waves to get the photos. The things I have to do for you guys.  

 
Time to eat, there are a few places to eat, and as usual everyone wants your money. Also a lot of places are still closed from the storm and look like they will never open again, it really was that bad. We find a place and are greeted by a guy with a good sense of humour luckily. Now you’re all wondering what we had to eat, we both had piri piri chicken with chips and salad, I had a large beer and Nikki a glass of red wine. The food was excellent and the service. We had a great chat with the waiter who was Spanish and had such a laugh we could have stayed there all afternoon. The bill for the Meal and drinks. €15 that’s £10.53 Bargain. on the way back we called into a super market to get a few bits and stopped at the guy selling oranges on the side of the road. €2.5 for 5 kilo of oranges, that’s 18 oranges for £1.81 another bargain. 

We left the campsite at Evormonte, heading out on the N18 towards Albufeira on the algarve. Decided to avoid the toll roads, not just to save some money but the other roads are more scenic passing through little towns, and even when we passed through Evora the road through the town was all cobbled stone. I thought any minute we would end up down a dead end or a street that only a donkey could fit through but we got through no problem, even though the camper had a good shake up on the cobbles nothing fell off. 

The Portugese roads are as bad as in England and they are doing a lot of improvements, I think on all the ones we wanted to travel on. So we lost about 20 minutes according to our sat nav. But who cares we got a bit of time and we ain’t in no rush to go anywhere. 

We arrived at the campsite at Albufeira, it’s a large campsite, with a bar, restaurant, 3 pools, static caravans, lodges etc. Not the sort of site we would normally go for but it’s cheap enough and peaceful this time of year.lots of trees around for shade and the pineapples are huge. Albufeira was hit by a really big storm on the 1st November this year that’s only a month ago. When I say big storm it was big. Go on you tube and put in Albufeira Storm. They are working so hard to put it all right. We walked from the campsite down to the old town which was hit so bad and you can see where all the damage was done and how hard they are working. Lots of places still closed up. The old town also leads onto the beach, so it was great to see the sea again. 

Just to prove I am a man of my word, I said I would go in and I did. The sun was out, the sky was blue, and the water was bloody freezing. The temperature dipped last night to about 5 degrees but it’s warm in the day. The pool is not heated. I know I surf all year round but I have a wetsuit on. Believe me that water was cold. A quick swim then a hot shower and sit in the sun. Sorted, it’s good for you. 

So where did that month go. I can’t believe we have been away for a month already.Our last evening at Caceres we were sat outside having a beer & wine, a bit unusual for us but we thought we would give it a go. It was nice. A motorhome came onto site and it was our friends from Devon who manage the site we spend a lot of time on. They were going to meet us in Portugal for a couple of days and had no idea where we were just pure coincidence they picked that site on there way to Portugal.  We are now in Portugal and the sun is shining and looks like it’s going to shine for a day or two yet. 

  
Ok if are still friends after you seeing that last pic,I will show you some more later. The drive from Caceres to here Evora monte was really nice, decided to avoid the main roads and take the B roads. Again the roads were really quite and winded there way through small little towns and miles of high chaperal countryside and the occasional hill to climb.I was expecting to see some Cowboys and Indians. We were due to go on one site but could not find a good review about it and were told it was not a well looked after site, so Nikki found another on line which was on out route anyway. Run by a Dutch guy and his wife it’s a small site its very clean and tidy. He was telling me all about the trouble he had with planning etc and it took so long to get anything passed. In the reception are some items made from cork as a few miles away is a cork factory. The items in the reception include key rings, bangles, and a cork baseball cap which I really like. And no the hat is not made from the corks from Nikki’s wine bottles. If they were to use her corks it would make a three piece suit. LOL

As you can see we parked in the shade as it was hot….oops sorry must not mention the weather. Ok instead you can have some photos of the site, the pool is not heated but me being me I am going in it later. Nikki is not, she says it’s not the cold water but it will mess her hair up. We will spend a couple of nights here and then move on south to Albufeira that’s the bottom of Portugal, the algarve for those that dont know.  So until then Obrigado.

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.