Spain - we did it!!!!

Lovely morning again and we managed to get on our way pretty early. Plans are very flexible as you know and we hit the 5 week/halfway marker this morning. I cannot believe how quickly this time has gone - when we discussed leaving on a ten week travel across Europe, I thought it would feel like a very long time. It doesn’t - it is exciting every day - your life falls into a rhythm - just a different rhythm and to be very honest, we are enjoying every minute. Of course, the nail in the tyre, the wrong reading of the map, the wrong turn - there are irritating bits that happen but that happens in normal life all the time anyway. Funnily enough, I’ve always thought there is a bit of a gypsy in me - moving house has never really phased me - changing jobs - I like an adventure and a new adventure is even better. Luckily, I met and married a man who feels exactly the same way - “Home is where you are” is what Alan always says to me and the feeling is mutual. We’ve been together now since January 1982 in the midst of the Falklands War - I was single and living in Saltash and a friend of mine used to take me into Plymouth on a Friday and Saturday night to go to the Cascade Club which is where all the Marines used to hang out and socialise or the Commodore Club which was the Army. My sister and her children were staying with me at the time and she very kindly lent me her white boots to wear. They were little stunners and, if I remember rightly had beading attached to the strands of leather hanging around the ankle of the boot. I had on my ‘Olivia Newton John’ black spray on trousers (Grease) and a peach cowl neck blouse. We were ready to rock! Long story short, Alan was working at the Cascade Club in the bar downstairs which is where one used to take a quiet time out from the disco upstairs. I noticed him picking up glasses and he looked across at me - where I recall thinking, hasn’t he got lovely kind eyes. Anyone that knows my husband, will assure you he lives up to that expectation. Anyway, he got my friend to write my telephone number on his hand before he left that night - no mobiles in those days - just house phones. Sunday morning my phone goes and it is Alan who reminded me who he was and asked if I fancied going for a drink on Monday night ............ and the rest, as they say, is history. Anyway, enough of the reminiscing and onwards to Spain. Yes, we decided we would go across the Pyrenees today and make our way down to Lorette-de-Mar area which is where Alan spent a lot of time in his youth - I’ve never been so we thought it would be nice to for me to see it. We crossed into Spain via the Pyrenees at 12.15 today - the roads were crazy bendy again! It’s good fun in the van and the views of tremendous. Again, all photos on social media. We drove past the old Spanish Border Checkpoint which is sadly graffitied to the hilt! As soon as we entered Spain, the towns and villages are very different. Spain is more commercially aware than the French side. We struggled some times to find a cafe open, let alone ones that would allow a dog inside in France. That has all changed here. We have been inside two restaurants today - once to eat, and once for a coffee and Tom was welcomed with open arms. We have ended up in Roses tonight at a camp site that feels more like a car park for Moho’s. It’s not intimate which I do like and the ground is fine gravel which plays havoc going in and out the van. Just one night and then move on tomorrow. Sites here are much more expensive than the French ones we have been to, but we have only been here one day so mustn‘t judge too harshly - yet! The weather has changed again, like clockwork and is very windy. We drove into Spain and stopped for lunch and there was a big hailstorm there which we had actually missed, but the hailstones were still fresh on the ground. Also a long spate of lightning as we proceeded along the coast road which was quite bright at times. Nighty night