Kevnjan's new adventure.

Thurs 29th.Nov. Spent an eventful night at Velez Rubio. It was cold, then the wind got up. You forget how the temperature drops in the mountains at this time of year. There were some horrendous gusts of wind which rocked the van on its springs, giving Janet the scares and something new to worry about. In the morning we took our time and had a leisurely breakfast before setting off for a walk around the town. It's a charming place, typically Spanish with narrow streets and alleys all seemingly leading to the church square. The church is beautiful, although, sadly closed except for services. We've found this a lot in Spain, and as everyone knows,Jan is quite partial to a walk around a church and a quick prayer. Anyway we took our leave of Velez Rubio and headed for Villrico on the coast in search of free camping and warmer weather. Found the former, not the latter. Another cold and windy night has taken its toll on our gas supply and to our annoyance it looks like the nearest place to refill is in Cartagena so it looks like we have to backtrack about 120 ks.Ah well, it's not a day for relaxing on the beach, we'll leave that to the hardy Dutch and Germans. Bye for now. This has been done on the phone so may be a bit scruffy.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Tues. 27th. Nov. Yesterday we left the safety and comfort of the campsite in Bolnuevo in search of somewhere we could indulge in a little wild (free) camping, with the water tanks full and the toilet empty we were ready!! Needed a little shopping first, Jan has decided it's time to start eating healthily again and that means salad!! Whooppee my favourite. Spotted some civilisation and headed towards it and hopefully shops. After ten minutes of squeezing through ridiculously crowded, narrow streets we abandoned the search and got out of town, knowing we would find somewhere more user friendly up the road. ie somewhere to park. Took ourselves along the coast and found parking about 3ks east of Calnegre. A friendly Irishman named Mick (can you believe it?) said there was a small shop in the village so we set off to walk, the excercise is good for us!! On arrival at said shop, nothing green was to be seen, no salad then. Ended up having fried mash, belly pork, eggs and beans, now that's got to be better than salad hasn't it? Didn't have much of a day at Calnegre, very grey, showers and so vanbound. Rained most of the night but happy to report that John's roof repairs are of the highest quality. Spoke to them last night and the olive harvest is not finished. Tempted to head back and help but it's a long way. Then John said they might drive down and meet us at the weekend. Not so far then. Today we drove to Lorca, thought it might be worth a visit as the weather was iffy. The drive was a real treat, along the N322, through mountainous, wild scenery, barely a car to be seen, Jan saw a shepherd with a flock of sheep and goats, clinging to the side of a hill. Lorca was a strange mixture of old and new. The two are too often built onto each other, very strange!! Heaven knows what the Italians would make of it. Gothic churches semi detached by blocks of shops or even houses. Still I suppose it works for them. Probably not worth the trip. Left Lorca and headed through the mountains for Velez Rubio, a small, pretty town with a free aire/sosta, a rare find. There are two other English vans parked here, they're travelling together. Friendly enough but no-one's offered me a beer yet. It's cooler up here but the sun's shining now. Think we might have a look around the town tomorrow and head back for the coast. I've spotted an electric point around the back of the toilets so I'm waiting for dark to see if I can get a bit of free power. That will be a result!! Salad for dinner tonight, I'm afraid we found a Mercadona. Good news though is that I've replenished the wine and whisky supplies. Cheers.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Sun. 25th. Nov. Saturday was another warm sunny day. We took sunbeds to the beach and Jan actually got in the sea and had a swim. Didn't last long, just long enough for me to video it. See Facebook. By about 3pm the warmth is going out of the sun but hey - it's better than the rain and wind in England. While Jan watched Come Dancing I went to a local bar and saw Villa play out a pretty dull draw with Arsenal, a good result, it's tough though with the Baggies winning away and sitting 4th in the league. Room for improvement.This morning Jan had the great idea of walking into Mazarron for the Sunday market, just 5Ks. each way!! Still it was a nice morning for a walk, by the time we got back we were whacked. Still it feels like it did us good. I invested €5 in wifi and put some stuff on Facebook, tried Skyping the Smigiels but once again the result was disappointing. Unless I can get a really good connection the frustration is maddening. Better to phone I think. Problem is, I can't get a sufficiently good connection from the phone to upload pictures. I suppose this is just something we have to live with. You can see how good our life is, that this is all we have to complain about. Biggest problem we have is that life is so pleasant and easy going that the blog is full of not very much. For that I apolgise. Dinner time now, suppose I'd better get a beer.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Fri.23rd.Nov. Mazarron is a lovely town. The beaches are plentiful and clean, even at this time of year. The Italians could learn a lesson here. Spent 2 nights on the street here and felt safe and had no problem. Today we moved on a few Ks to Bolnuevo where we are on a site. In need of topping up batteries, washing and TLC. This wild camping is cheap but it's good to have life's little comforts. Roast dinner tonight and it's on the table. Weather has been brilliant last few days, this is what we came for. Met German couple last night who are headed for Morocco. Steve and Judy are not now coming in January so we may cross the water. All depends on the weather. Watch this space. Dinner time.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Wed.21st.Nov. Can't believe it's 21st. already. Yesterday we thought we would check out the free parng at Tomas Maestre on La Manga and move on to Cartagena. Couldn't find the free parking and the sun came out. Returned to our parking place, set up on beach and wasted a day in the sun. What a life we lead. It is eerie there at night. We ere surrounded by maybe 10 high rise blocks of flats and there were no We are now lights on on any of them. Clearly they are unoccupied at this time of year. It is strange to see thse flats in darkness.. During the evening we were joined by 2 Swedish vans and a Dutch couple turned up in the morning. Having spoken to these people I'm convinced that we are the only people who waste money on campsites. Today we said goodbye to our new friends and made for Cartagena. It was pretty enough and we saw the amphitheatr and other Roman remains from the castle on the hill. It also afforded us a great view of our old friend the Arcadia which sails out of Southampton. We left Cartagena and drove to Mazarron, a pretty town, where we had been told we would find free camping. Don't know where. We are parked in a stret next to the beach on the west side of the town but couldn't find an aire or its equivilent. Never mind, we're happy hereand dinner's cooking.That'sall for now. Time for a beer.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Mon. 19th. Nov. Monday again. Some weeks I'm just so happy to see Monday morning and remind myself that I don't have to go to work. This morning we awoke by the sea shore, to bright sunshine and after a leisurely breakfast, decided to spend the day by the beach. Drove to La Manga, found a deserted car park by a deserted beach and got the chairs out. The sea was blue, the sky clear and the sun warm. We had to reassure each other that it is November. Things got better when we took coffee and doughnuts for elevenses. Sometimes it's worth reminding yourself how lucky we are. Sam's birthday today, 13 - happy birthday Sam!! Sun's going down now and we're getting ready for dinner, listening to the waves rolling in on the rocks. This is so much better than the rain!! More of the same tomorrow please. If there are any Southampton fans reading this, well done, hope Villa can beat Man Utd. soon. Getting a bit fed up this season. Match of the day is getting hard to bear. Enough to drive you to drink.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Sun. 18th. Nov. We're wild camping tonight, just south of Torrevieja on the Mar Menor, at a village called Los Urritieas. The Mar Menor is a large lagoon which in the summer is about 5 degrees warmer than the Med, and very popular for water sports and similar activities. The main activity going on here at the moment is driving around the car park to observe the occupants of the big white camper van. We're parked at the water's edge and Jan is cooking dinner. The weather, once more has been inclement, showery rain and overcast but pleasantly warm. We've started our journey west now and hopefully will see some improvement, although the forecast isn't brilliant. Said goodbye to Rob and Sheila today when we left the site at Catral, doubt we'll see them again in Spain as they're heading in the opposite direction towards France and home. Maybe we'll see them when we visit Tony in Kidderminster. No Skyping today, no wifi so looks like dinner and Come Dancing results for me. Best open some wine I think!!

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Fri. 16th. Nov. Well, yesterday after a busy morning washing van and picking olives we left Finca Buenos Suenos and our good friends John and Pat after 8 relaxing and enjoyable days. Can't believe it's gone so quickly. Can't believe, either, after waiting all this time to visit, we never got into the pool or spent an hour or two sunbathing. Nevertheless, we needed to move on and booked onto the Marjal site in Catral where we set to getting the laundry sorted out. Re-acquainted ourselves with Rob and Sheila and had a couple of pints in the bar at happy hour. Played boule with them this afternoon, got well beaten. I can't make my mind up about this place, it's an enormous site with modern facilities and very well used, many English long - term campers here but it feels a little like an upmarket gypsy encampment. We won't be staying long, it's time to get some more travelling in. The day today was disappointing again, overcast but not raining, got the washing dry - just, forecast for the weekend not too good. Out to dinner tonight with John and Pat then tomorrow I think we will head out.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Wed.14th. Nov. The sun came out today. We had heavy rain overnight and I was concerned about the weak spot behind the drivers seat which has caused us so many problems in the past. We took advantage of the sunshine and John fixed it big time. I have great confidence that it will no longer be a problem. This afternoon we picked olives, cleared 3 trees around the pool. Still too wet to get into the field but maybe tomorrow. Rob and Sheila rang yesterday, they are not having a great time at the moment, they were in Benidorm, in the rain. We recommended they come out to Catral, where there is a new campsite with all mod cons and spoil themselves for a few days. I think we'll spend some time with them over there tomorrow, might book on there for a couple of days to catch up on washing etc. There are tumble driers there, think we might need them. It's time to move on from Finca Buenos Sueno and let John and Pat get back to normality. We will return!! It's been a blast. Time for dinner.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Tues.13th. Nov. Oh boy. Monday morning we had a deluge of rain. Thought it would never stop. It had rained most of the night, we're certainly putting John's repair to the test!! Around lunch time left to take latest useless webcam back to shop and whilst there John and Pat realised that the latest i-pad 3 was on special offer, they've had their eye on them for a while so it was too good to miss. After making the purchase we took it for a ride in the car to Alicante and around, the rain had stopped and we found somewhere on the seafront for lunch. It's such a shame the weather is so inclement, it would be nice just to sit around in the sun and chill. Never mind, we amused ourselves by observing John's efforts to set up the new i-pad!! Why are these things so complicated? Is it deliberate? Seems to me that such a clever piece of kit should be capable of guiding you through the basic setup in a user friendly manner!! Anyway it's Tues. morning now and it seems that there's still some way to go. We went out for Chinese for dinner last night and when we got home the sky was clear and bright with stars, a good omen. At 8am it began to pour again and has been raining on and off since. Apparently, this weather is along the entire Mediterranean coast. We used to go out on the boat and John always played a tape with the song Always Take the Weather With you. We seem to have done it this time, wrong sort of weather though. Feeling sorry for John as the olives are ready for harvest but it is too wet to get into the fields. Maybe if we take the rain to the Costa del Sol it will dry out here. May be worth a try.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Sun. 11th.Nov. Jan's hairdo went well. Got the leak sorted thanks to John and I changed the wheel for the spare so now need to get the puncture repaired. Did a little shopping and on Friday night John cooked paella for us. Best I've ever eaten, well done John. Bought a new webcam on Thursday, rigged it up to the laptop, wouldn't work. Took it back and and got refund. Saturday, bought another, rigged it up, same problem. Lost internet connection, laptop started misbehaving, driving me crazy, about to throw laptop in bin. Turned it off, re-started it, connected up old webcam, everything worked perfectly!! Jan had long Skype session with Julie, no interruptions, what's it all about? Hoping to get some quality skyping done today. We'll see! Yesterday, the sun shone, we went to the market at Santa Pola and walked along the marina. It was good to be out in shirtsleeves again. Out to dinner in the evening, lovely day. Cloudy today, looks like rain. Fingers crossed.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Friday 9th. Nov. Wednesday was a long day. The San Isidro I was headed for turned out to be the wrong one. There are about 12 in the atlas and it's an easy mistake to make. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.) Before that we discovered Albacete where we knew we could fill up with LPG as we'd found a garage on the internet. Of course, when we got there no LPG was found. With my blundering Spanish I got directions to another place at the other end of town which sold it. After my customary squeeze through the narrowest streets in town we arrived at the garage, filled up and headed out to the nearest centro commercial for coffee and shopping. Shortly after that we discovered my mistake, put GPS co-ordinates into satnav and headed for John and Pat's finca. Arrived at the spot directed to by satnav girl and discovered we were miles away. Beautiful spot though, just west of a place called Moixant, can recommend visiting the area if you need to be lost. No signal on phone, very remote. To cut a long story short we put in another 120Ks and arrived at our destination, very relieved and tired. The traditional Spanglish welcome of a hug and a large whisky did much to restore me. It had rained for much of the day and we were relieved to have the driving done for a day or two. I think our hosts were beginning to think we weren't coming. Dinner was delicious, slept like a log. Thursday John offered to fix the leak(s) on the van and we spent the morning removing old filler from the seams. The weather at the moment is very unSpanish, grey skies and the occasional spot of rain. We were awoken at 5 this morning to the sound of raindrops on the roof. Panic stations as I had to cover the empty seams before water poured in. The rain came to nothing but gave us a scare. This morning Jan's off to hairdresser, hopefully we can waterproof the van. Found a screw in the front nearside tyre yesterday so that's something else to fix. It's a good job we're at a place where all this stuff can be attended to.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Tue.6th.Nov. Left Aranquez behind this morning. Not without a little difficulty. Satnav girl is a bit doze yin the mornings. We swooped on Lids and Jan did her best to empty it. Lucky I was there to restrain her. It took a while to load up and then we set course for Consuegra, Don Quijote country. Thru sun shone and the fabulous La March plains put on a show for us. One minute you're thinking how flat and dull it is and the next you're gazing across an unbelievable vista of hills and canyons as far as the eye can see. The colours are unique and the light superb. We arrived in Consuegra, took lunch and walked up the hill to take a closer look at the 12 windmills. No sign of the knight or Ranch Panza. Wonderful views though. Not much else to see so we took off in the direction of Albacete and our date with Pat and John. Spending the night in a small town called Mineral, on a piece of land on the edge of town. Spoke to Rob and Shield today. Sorry to hear that they had their van broken into while the were in Carrefours at Benicasim yesterday. Lost laptop,binoculars and much more. Makes us very aware of the importance of care and security. The thieves are out there. Well, put in lots of miles today. Time for a Scottish reward.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Mon. 5th. Nov. The rain stopped last night. Hooray~!! Spoke to Ian last night and he complained that it’s rained for days and has been constantly grey. Makes us feel better. The sun shone today and we walked into Aranquez. It has been a perfect Autumn day of the type you long for in England. The sun shone from a clear blue sky and we walked through a vast park of stunning beauty, full of red squirrels, peacocks and all manner of ducks and geese. There is an amazing mix of statues, fountains and monuments. The trees are turning golden and orange and you could be forgiven for thinking that you were actually in England. I’ll put some pics on Facebook. We walked to the palace, an enormous edifice set in wonderful grounds. Disappointed that it’s closed on Mondays so couldn’t explore inside. Still we’re getting over the Palazza Real in Madrid, so we’ll get over it. Had lunch out and we had our first doughnuts since leaving England. We really are quite virtuous these days!! Aranquez doesn’t rate a mention in the the Lonely Planet guide which is a shame because I’d recommend it, especially on a day like today.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Sun.5th.Nov. Yesterday after patching up the van with tape we headed for Toledo. Rained most of the morning and we arrived at a campsite called El Greco. They wanted €30 per night. Greedy lot. Walked around the site and found it empty. No wonder!! Asked a policeman and were directed to big carpark where we spent the night. Walked around beautiful Toledo for 4 hours. All the hills seem to be up!! Glad we visited though. A picturesque town, not to be missed. We have to leave this morning. Still raining, but must find a site to do washing and get straight. Aranquez here we come.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Sat.3rd.Nov. Enjoyed another good day in Madrid yesterday. Spent hours browsing the Prado museum. Tough on the feet, especially with my broken toe which doesn't see to be getting better, even after nearly 4weeks. We spent the evening watching a film as we can't pickup TV here. Jan cooked, I can't keep feeding her out. Anyway, her food is better. This morning we had a nasty shock. It had rained heavily all night and water is leaking in through the roof at the rear of the van. Bloody nuisance!! Her mattress and duet are wet and we're waiting for the rain to stop so I can get up and make a temporary repair. We were planning to move on to Toledo today but I think I may have to formulate a plan B. Wish us luck.

Kevnjan's new adventure.

Thurs. 1st. Nov. My birthday! What a lucky man I am, last year it was Rome, today, Madrid. Wonder where we’ll be next year. We spent the morning viewing the Royal Palace, a fabulous building full of wonderful opulent rooms, furnished with amazing antiques and decorated with ceilings painted by the old masters. We forget that the Spanish history is as rich and varied as our own and their royal family really knew how to look after themselves. I was told off for taking pictures and had a sulk. The audio guide was helpful and Jan was in her element surrounded by old things, including me. The weather was kinder today although still cool and we were glad we wore coats and warm clothing. Lunch was taken and we set off for the Bernabau stadium for a look and a little shopping. The rest of the afternoon disappeared and our plan to visit the Prado went with it. That will have to be tomorrow. We wandered around La Latina, a lively part of town famous for its bars and restaurants and had dinner around 7. The waiters found it odd that people could want to eat so early! Enjoyed a superb meal, reasonably priced, and complimentary liqueur in a biscuit cup. Headed for home around 9 and flopped out after a 12 hour day. Will need to take half a day off tomorrow. Spoke to Paul on phone and he has clean bill of health after a nasty scare. Great birthday gift. Timefor whisky.