30th September 2023 – We are currently on the ferry to Santander (33 hours duration). We (inevitably) met Land Rover enthusiasts waiting for the ferry. It is great how Land Rover owners greet each other and compare notes.
We are on a fairly new 45,000 tonne chinese built ferry operated by Brittany Ferries for 1,000 passengers. The cabins are OK and there are a couple of restaurants (french operated so the food is good).
We have opted for satellite wifi for the whole journey to while away the time (for €25). Otherwise we have been on deck trying to spot Orcas and Dolphins. Orca watch operate on the ferry monitoring numbers and locations. The staff do two weeks at a time (4 trips Portsmouth to Santander and 2 to Cherbourg). Good work but a strange life. We have an inside cabin as all the outer ones were booked. Amusingly it has a illuminated picture to look like a balcony on one wall.
1st October 2023 – wake up call at 5:40am to leave the ferry. It took an hour after docking in port for us to be able to leave (we were right at the back). Pleased to be on the road however. However it will take a few days to get to Africa.
We have decided to go via the Picos region rather than driving direct. May as well have a meander and see some of Spain. We may come back via Portugal (we will see). Our Spanish friend Blanca has invited us to stay with her in Majorca so we may do that. Nice campsite at Potes with the mountains as a backdrop but quite full. 30+ degrees Celsius so getting acclimatised. Weather alert for extreme high temperatures here for the next 2 days.
Solar controller indicating that the alternator was charging the battery after we stopped and not the solar panel. Switching the ignition on and off reset it so we will need to keep an eye on that. Anything with a microchip has to be viewed with suspicion! There is an occasional whiff of gear oil around George (but no leaks) so will keep an eye out and check diffs/gearbox/transfer box when we can.
We visited the local monastery up on the hill behind the campsite. It had a beautiful serene courtyard garden with hydrangea and a scallop shell fountain. We enjoyed the cool in the heat of the day (and found a lady selling ice cream outside the monastery).
The view from the camspsite is stunning:
Amazing rock formations in the area:
It takes a while to settle into a routine on the road and to find out the best place for everything in the vehicle. We have it fairly well packed and organised but you certainly learn by experience.
2nd October 2023 – We plan to do more miles. We are probably heading for Salamanca. Delicious fresh local barra de pan (like a fat baguette!) and peach jam for breakfast. The honey was €7 for a small jar so it stayed in the shop!
Found a nice spot for lunch with a bench in the shade of a stand of Poplars. Very peaceful.
Moroccan friends tell me that the last 3 days have been very hot in Western part of their country – high of 37 Celsius and low of 25.
Didn’t make it to Salamanca just too far, so at Tordesillas instead. Can’t do too many miles in George in a day – 60mph max feels comfortable. After leaving the mountains onto the plains the route was rather boring but there was little traffic. Very agricultural, cereal crops harvested leaving just stubble but plenty of maize and sunflowers. No hedges at all and vast fields.
We will visit the supermacado to get some provisions. Hopefully some beef having driven through a cattle area where the pasture looked amazingly good. We will probably be vegetarian a lot of the time in West Africa so we should have some meat while we can methinks.
3rd October 2023 – Long drive today to Montánchez. Through varied terrain, starting with cattle farming, moving to arable and finally mixed. Many olive trees here and lots of Iberico ham.
Staying on a new campsite called Camperstop Algeria (run by a Dutch couple). We are camping on a walled area under some huge oak trees for shade (32 Celsius on arrival).
Quite easy to update the website using O2 UK SIM data as roaming hasn’t been a casualty of Brexit (yet). Although this campsite has excellent wifi.
We are eating local pork. Last night pork escalope with a mustard, mushroom and cream sauce) and tonight pork with fuselli pasta. Every day is an invention test!
Our camping spot next to an olive grove:
Dry stone walls and oak trees. Going into the small town this evening. About 1 kilometre walk only. Shops open until 9 or 10pm as the afternoon is too hot! Bought some local jamon (Iberico ham).
Road signs in the town are all beautiful ceramic tiles:
The roads here are in good condition, not like the potholed disaster that are UK roads now. They are certainly refreshingly less crowded too. Some incredible hairpin bends in the mountains however. George has been coping remarkably well despite his age. He struggles on the inclines however. We tried to avoid the motorway as much as possible as the local routes are more interesting.
Dogs bark in unison here at sunset and sunrise! Last night in the town all the birds were congregating in the trees in the squares to roost.
The local produce is amazing, hams, cheeses and even chocolate covered figs!
4th October 2023 – Delicious fresh baguette for breakfast, the campsite owner goes to collect it and puts a lovely good morning note on it.
Camping just south of Sevilla. Not a bad campsite. We wanted to be out of the city. Really hot here, still 32 at 7:45pm local time.
Made good progress today. Drove through an area of predominantly vines and wineries en route. We may get the ferry to Morocco tomorrow. Undecided whether to take the route to Ceuta or Tanger.
5th October 2023 – We are now at the port ofAlgerciras waiting for the 2pm sailing to Tanger. It is about an hour and a half. We bought an open ticket which is allegedly valid for one year although it says less (she said don’t worry about it!). We were given a gift by the ticket agent Carlos (but would perhaps have actually preferred a cheaper ticket!).
Visited the huge Carrefour supermarcado to buy a few things – padlock for the back door, hair clippers for a Moroccan friend and some food. Intend to make it to blue town of Chefchaouen near the Rif mountains for the night. Perhaps 100 kilometres into Morocco. It will feel good to be in Africa at last. Spain took longer than expected in a fully laden Land Rover although to be fair we didn’t hurry at all.
Return to Spain
Return