Carried on South to Spain. Crossed the border and took the route national NII south to the Costa Brava. Arrived camping Solmar Blanes Costa Brava for an extended stop. We have stopped here several times. The Costa Brava just north of Barcelona is about the furthest south you can watch all Sky channels with a standard size satellite dish.
We documented and photographed this site in an earlier blog. Stopped for a couple of weeks. Then left van on site and flew home for 5 days to attend a wedding and catch up with grandkids etc. Ryan Air flights and connections a fraction of the price of diesel for return trip. Returned to camp site, weather was exceptional for time of year so decided to stay till site closed. Lots of Brits on site who had decided to have an early Halloween party.
Whilst on site we were invited by the owner Senor Kim to a gala night to celebrate his 40th anniversary in the camp site business. We had a 4 course meal free drinks all night and entertainment all free of charge, a wonderful evening.
Our daughter flew out and joined us for a week we had a great time.
Decided as weather was still good and camp site was now closing we would move further South so set off for Camping Eden Peniscola Valencia
The main road to Barcelona NII was closed for a sporting event so the police diverted us onto the toll motorway system, and gave us a free toll pass for the next 3 motorways which was quite handy. This decanted us into the centre of Barcelona and gave us good views of the city , and a surprisingly clear run through the centre of the city.
la familia segradia Barcelona
la placa de Catalunya Barcelona
very hairy coast road south of Barcelona great for bikers not recommended for caravans and motor homes
pitched up at camping Eden, could not get satellite reception so moved up a few pitches. To receive English channels in Valencia you really need a 120 cm dish.We only had a 70 cm dish, but switched receiver to south beam and managed to get a good selection of TV but nome of the main terrestial channels. 2nd pitch had first class view of local soccer pitch and we had a good view of matches junior and senior some of which were quite entertaining.
the centre of Peniscola is a historic walled town with fortifications
Peníscola, often called the Gibralter of Valencia, is a fortified seaport, with a lighthouse, built on a rocky headland about 220 feet (67 m) high, and joined to the mainland by only a narrow strip of land Built originally between 1294 and 1307, by the Knights Templar, in the fourteenth century it was garrisoned by the Knights of Montessa, and in 1420 it reverted to the Crown. From 1415 it was the home of pope Benedict XIII (Pedro de Luna), whose name is commemorated in the Bufador de Papa Luna, a curious cavern with a landward entrance through which the seawater escapes in clouds of spray.
Beach is just outside entrance to camp site
We met 4 young Australians who were doing the grand tour of Europe they had hired a motorhome for the Spanish leg, they were very good company, and we were up till 2 am talking much to the annoyance of some of the Spanish and German campers. When they left they gave us embroidered Australian handkerchiefs as mementoes.
site has excellent security with gates and barriers controlled by pass cards
Finally time to leave we only came for a week and stopped over 3 weeks heading north back to Blanes.
The wife's sister and her husband live in Cardedeau in northern Spain so we did a little detour so we could visit for a couple of hours
Stopped at camping Blanes one of the few campsites open at this time of year 13.4 euros per night or 10 euros per night if stopping for more than a month, an enterprising camp sit proprieter got the club web site off the side of the van, and E mailed the club with special offers for members. Site is a bit run down, but clean and tidy amd has its own gate out onto the beach.
www.campingblanes.com
Left next morning headed north to the border, then on to Montpelier,rear brakes had started to make a grinding noise, so we stopped at camping Fondespierre where we had stopped on the way down, examined brakes and found nearside rear calliper had seized. We decided to get new brake pads from the Iveco dealers in Montpelier, and stop for a few days to fit them. This is a very nice site its hilly but has flat pitches. It was noe mid November and the evening and nighttime temperatures were begining to drop, but the site had closed its summer sanitary facilities and opened the heated winter sanitaires. Using the sites WI FI on the laptop, and the help of the club members on the forum for advice I managed to get the repairs done and the van back on the road.
http://www.campingfondespierre.com/
There was an English couple parked next to us who were on their way south for the winter, they were travelling with their cat, I have met lots of Brits with dogs and dog passports, but thes were the first with a cat.
There was a wonderful old fashioned greengrocers close by that stocked almost anything
After 3 days it was time to resume the journey home. It was now November and the days were getting short, and the further North we travelled the more the temperatures dropped. Nearly all the French campsites had now closed for the season, but with advice from the cat owners we found a campsite just outside Beaunne that was open, Camping les Bouleaux a nice little site but only 3amps electric
http://www.campinglesbouleaux.fr/
We had already made our evening meal and just needed to microwave it which was fun and games on 3amps. Apart from the electric it is a nice site with excellent heated facilities.
We only stayed 1 night and then carried on North to
http://www.lanouedesrois.com/campsite-france.html
this was close to the city of Troyes and 1 of the very few campsites open this late in the year, but within easy reach of Calais. So spent 1 night and left to catch sea France ferry to Dover and then home.
We left home on August 11th and finally arrived home on November 4th a total of 86 days, and just inside our 90 day insurance period, am now renewing insurance with Sureterm direct who will insure us for 365 days abroad.
repairs needed were replace disc pads replace 2 16 watt strip lights and 3 240 volt light bulbs.
We cant wait for our next trip
