Self-drive part 1
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 @ 2:48 AM
We set off for Spain on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon - crazy choice but we were ready, or so we thought...but by then we had a) overloaded the transit and b)struggled in the wind & rain to get the bikes secure on the trailer and c)discovered that the coolant hose was leaking. 24 hours later we had reduced the load ( a second trip coming up) and got the hose fixed, but ended up paying a premium price for the Dover crossing because wwe had not booked. It's OK if you're a commercial truck to turn up at the last minute but not for domestic travellers!
We more or less went non-stop, taking it in turns to sleep, though Steve did far more driving than me. We won't use the toll roads (except round San Sebastian area) so had great fun negotiating Tours, Poitiers and Madrid by night. Thanks goodness for sat nav! It took 36 hours to reach our house, by which time we were desperate to lie full length in a bed! But otherwise a quiet trip without any hassle. And always nice when the formality and superiority of France gives way to the good humour and warm-heartedness of Spain.
We managed 1/2 a day in the sunshine, jumping on the Guzzi for a quick zoom upn to Pitres for coffee and a tostada con queso y jamon y tomate...And I tested out the c90 as well. Our friend Jesus greeted us with real pleasure and much manly back-slapping with Steve, and I exchanged pecks and pleasantries with 2 ladies from the village, sitting out in the sunshine. Real Alpujarran sunshine! What a pleasure.
Friday lunchtime saw us back on the road but this time with an unloaded vehicle except for the trailer. We went back via the scenic route through the Pyrennees, but as it was after midnight and a storm raging, we didn't see much. There was even some snow at the roadside! A morning croissant and coffee was sheer nectar after such a strenous night. It says a lot for our relationship that we can spend almost 5 days cooped up in the cab of a van and not fall out! A bag of snacks (dried fruit, nuts & digestive biscuits) and a kettle to make fresh tea also helped.
Saturday night saw us arrive at Calais 24 hours early and we got some strange information from the P&O bookiing office which would have meant a 4 hour wait. Steve decided that we would queue for the next crossing and see what happened - we got waived straight through and joined the very small numbers of people on board. By 3am we were home and heading for bed (with most of the furniture gone we were sleeping on the floor on sleeping mats) and delighted that we had managed our 3000 miles without any mishaps or encounters with the gendarmerie. Now the only problem is that we have it all to do again.
Part 2 coming up next time!