Friday, 10 May 2013

Overview of Journey through France to Spain; heading back and to Kerkenhof Gardens, Holland and home, Jan 2nd to April 17th 2013

Trip to Spain, January 2013
02/01/13
Peters Green (46739;N51-17-03 E1-05-00)
Hatfield (46753;14 miles)
Canterbury: Asda (46852;N51-17-24 E1-05-53;99 miles;113 total) Park and Ride £2.50
03/01/13
Dover (46863:11 today 124 total)
La Motte Beuvron (47165;N47.59795 E2.02524;302;426)
04/01/13
Murat, south of Toulouse (47514;349;775;18.47 hours driving since 2nd)
05/01/13-6/01/13
Blanes Camping (47734;220;995) Festival of the Kings at Harbour.
07/01/13
Peniscola (47941;207;1202;N40-22-10 E0-24-04) Msg from Police asking us to move on. No camping allowed. (free)
08/01/13
Benicassim (47983;42;1244) Free night in town opposite Lidl. free
09/01/13
Benicassim, Bonterra Park Camp site 1 month cheaper rate
10/01/13-09/02/13
Thursday morning market.
15/01/13
Bike ride to Castellón 33.5km, bit of a trek, but just about made it. The wind was a bit strong, took lunch with us, saw Basilica in town.
16/01/13
Bonfire Fiesta started tonight in Benicassim. Dinner thanks to 2B's.
17/01/13
Watched flower parade. Had dinner in Mike's van. Yum Yum, it's my turn next!
18/01/13
Paella Day, walked up road Bonterra put on good meal for €7.50
19/01/13
Text from Tony, another New Companion, was in Barcelona and would be popping in to Bonterra, in a couple of days.
20/01/13
Bike ride to Oropesa old town. Last night for fireworks. Was better than 2 years ago, large display, what recession!
21/01/13
Bike ride to Castellón, 16 miles this time. Had puncture on way out which Mike kindly sorted out.
22/01/13
Dinner in my pad tonight. Chilli con Carne and Apple Surprise (Crumble with cinnamon and brown sugar.)
23/01/13
We went for a walk round back of site into hills. Quiz night in restaurant, got told off because I answered a text from my son who was in India! They, one, thought I was cheating!
24/01/13
Mike left to go to Benidorm to see some other Companions. Rained and very windy, now broken two legs of Khyam, not good. 2B's broken one long one too, I had spare one.
25/01/13
Bike ride to board walk. Lovely sitting there lapping up the sunshine. Went for a swim not in sea.
26/01/13
Windy again, terrible. Went up to Azahar watched film by German when we were there 2 years ago, saw some we knew, but not us. Meal for €5 not very good. Met lady who knew 2B's.
27/01/13
Lunch with Mike's friends Kath and Billy who live in France. Met Kate/Peter staying until July!!!! and Ted. Whilst sitting there Mike turned up from Benidorm, not his sort of place either. Packed up tent, had enough with the wind.
28/01/13
We went for a long walk up into the hills, it was quite warm, we did about 8km.
29/01/13
Unbeknown to us Tony had arrived previous evening. Had meal in restaurant, then long chat. Did washing.
30/01/13
Bike ride to Castellón with Tony, did the Quiz in the evening too, didn't get accused of cheating this time. Phone stayed in pocket.
31/01/13
Market day. David Wilkie emailed that he and Jean were at Marjal enjoying it and when was I going there? Tony went off down to Mojacar, did it in one day. We went for another cycle ride 30.4km.
01/02/13
(N39-56-52 W0-05-21;Co-operative Caolica Agraria, Avd Castellon 75, 12548 Villareal, Castellón)
02/02/13
03/02/13
Big branch fell on 2B's van, fortunately no damage, big wall came down round behind the bungalows. Dinner in café.
04/02/13
Easy Lifter 01509 268400 Motorbike carrier on wheels.
06/02/13
Cycled to Oropesa and Mirrador 29Km
07/02/13
Market day. Watched Kill Bill.
08/02/13
Found water pump was leading. Took it all out and redid joints with ABRO that Brian had. It's a blue RTV Silicone 31 Gasket Maker.
09/02/13
(48025;42;1286) Left Bonterra, paid up €375 Worked out to €12.09 per night. (31 nights for single person.) Pump still faulty. We all went up to the ruined monastery and had a walk round. Didn't go to the Monastery further up. Decided not to stay on car park in case the wind got up again. Went to free space near to the river bed in Benicassim, which had now been made into pedestrian walkway. Bit dusty but free, went down to hotel to wifi to see where I could get a new pump. Came up with something. free
10/02/13
Stayed again on rough ground. free
11/02/13
El Saler (48160;135;1421) Headed toward Villa Real so 2B's could fill up with gas. Convenient station. Then we tried to find the place I got off the internet to buy a pump, to no avail. Went through Valencia and headed towards El Saler and found Camping Albuferia for €11 a night, not a lot there, no electricity, not as noisy as the campsite up the road we had stayed in last time. I went off to Caravan shop in Valencia not far away and got a reconditioned pump for €70. Fixed it on straight away.
12/02/13
Carcaixent Municipal Camping (Hort de Soriano N39.07027 E0.40889) Forgot mileage!
It looked like it was €15 a night but found out next morning that it was free and we could have four nights!  free
13/02/13
Great weather, went for another walk into the valley, got a bit lost but eventually found our way back. At least 5 km. Some Brits arrived and I went and twisted my right ankle again! 14/02/13
2B's went for a walk. It was very warm, so I rested ankle, read and sunbathed. 3.30pm arrived and I expected 2B's back, put on the kettle at 4pm and they arrived at 4.20pm. Hot cups of coffee/tea whilst Brian soaked his feet in hot water. When they got to the top, they should have turned round and come back the same way, but they went on and the path got very bad. They had walked at least 8.5km judging by the sign at the entrance gate which none of us had studied before walking.
15/02/13
Rested ankle again, so did 2B's, exhausted after their long walk.
16/02/13
Gandia (48233;73;1494)
17/02/13
18/02/13
Cycled into Gandia by the many cycle paths got a bit lost, looked around, found the Borja Palace which we would visit tomorrow, as it was about to close for lunch and not open again till 3.30pm. Came back by the river path.
19/02/13
My birthday, chocolate from girls, big tin of biscuits from 2B's and Barbara did me dinner in the evening. Lovely. We visited the Borja Palace during the day, it was well worth the €5 OAP's to get in.
20/02/13
Rode along sea front again, found the Mercadonna by the river, parked bikes outside.
21/02/13
We rode out bikes into town looking for different places. Got hungry so decided to go into McDonalds for lunch. Was OK.
22/02/13
Cycle ride again. Found the Museo Fallers which would have told us about the bonfires if it had been open! So just rode along the beach again, we did 9 miles.
23/02/13
2B's left today to go back to UK as they had a lot to do at home before they returned to Holland at the beginning of April. Very sad to see them go they were good company. Didn't do a lot to day, just lazed around.
24/02/13
Went for bike ride to beach, didn't stay long it began to get very cold again. €50 diesel
25/02/13
Because I had stayed over 7 days got a good rate. Decided to go to Marjal to meet David and Jean. Bought gas and diesel.
Marjal, Alicante (48341;108;1602) Large site a bit bare, trees hadn't matured yet, however good facilities, swimming, sports hall, fitness room, restaurants and bars, with a good shop if a little expensive. €14 ACSI
26/02/13
27/02/13
Went for a swim at 1.00pm nice and quiet. David came down for the evening.
28/02/13
Swam, went to village to shop, got home just before it rained, kept that way for rest of day.
N33.63453 W1.05851 Buenos Aires, RM332 David gave me LPG garage down near Mazzaron, just in case I did go there.
01/03/13
Swam, read, relaxed.
02/03/13
Did washing. Always rode bike up to reception or swimming pool, it was quite a long way. Easier than walking. David walked, I rode bike to Nature Reserve, may have seen Harrier, lots of ducks, but not a lot else. It was very windy there.
05/03/13
Sometime around now we all woke up to our vans being covered in Red Dust presumably from the Sahara!
06/03/13
N38.15113-W0.63242 La Marina and another at Canada de Gallego N37.53512 W1.37335.
I looked up El Cantal de Mojacar (N37-07-34 W1-49-57) where Tony was just in case I decided to go down there which was 208 km from Marjal and back of course.
I also looked up Kerkenhof Gardens and the site at Koningshof (N52-12-0 E4-27-22) It was 1281 miles 2061 km. Quite a long way. No Tolls.
08/03/13
Mary T and Wendy S arrived at site for the Country and Western weekend. We went to a concert in the evening but my head couldn't stand the acoustics so I left about 11pm. €10 special price for weekend.£10.00
09/03/13
Didn't go to the Country and Western, although it was outside, my head still not good. €10 special price for C & W weekend.
10/03/13
C & W still on today but didn't go. Really not my thing.
11/03/13
David took me to Lidl in Almoradi. He was very good and went at my pace; we went the back way which he knew, I didn't, and then a cycle path back through Delores where apparently a NC had a house, but I didn't know where. It was 14 miles, did a little detour through the nature reserve and back home. A good ride for me, nothing for David.
12/03/13
David decided to go for long bike ride, so I felt it was time I went off on my own to Almoradi again.
13/03/13
Swam.
14/03/13
Swam, everyone came in my van for the evening. We were all leaving the next day, that didn't happen, just David left, we all stayed till Monday.
15/03/13
David left very early didn't see him go. However, he texted in evening to say he had made it to Biarritz and had only just go on the aire, it was full. I downloaded loads of POI's and also all the Aires I had on my computer and didn't know how to put them there. Mary gave me a file which helped a great deal. Now I have them all on TomTom, what a relief.
16/03/13
With ACSI at Marjal you had 4KW electricity a day and I found I had enough to do some scanning of my old photos. I also found that I had to crop most of them to get rid of the edges. Worked out quite well.
17/03/13
18/03/13
Marjal to Lidl (48348;7;1609) Left today, paid bill, wasn't too bad; still had bad headache, wish it would go away. Travelled to Elche to get gas only to find that the place wasn't open although it was only 12 midday. So decided to go back up scenic route to Hort de Soriano at Carcaixent, lovely site, didn't do a lot just rested. I was the only one there until late in the afternoon; suddenly realised I must have left my Camperstop book in 2B's van. Yes, they had got it. This campsite free till end of month.
19/03/13
Hort de Soriano via Elche (48477;129;1738) Must have been a fiesta today, the gates were shut (not just one open, if open). Lots of fireworks in the evening. free
20/03/13
Villareal, Benicassim, Morella (48550;48566;48674;197;1935)
Left site quite early, bought 2 lots of diesel. At the second station where the attendant made me repeat the Spanish for €100 (can't remember now) we had a laugh. He then came out and gave me a necklace of wooden beads, reminiscent of the guys in Turkey who gave me dusters and cleaners for my van. Lovely thought. Went to Benicassim and did some food shopping. Decided to go to Morella and stay there, still wasn't feeling too good. €50+€15+€100 free aire
21/03/13
Morella (48674) Stayed on aire just lovely to have some peace and quiet.
22/03/13
Morella - Read the notice, you were allowed 72 hours. There were some processional caterpillar cocoons in the trees. Slept well, rested.
23/03/13
Blanes, Quart (48786;48943;269;2204)
Washed windscreen and found that wiper blades had split, where was I going to find new wipers on a Saturday. Went up the coast to Blanes and bit further up, no good sites, landed up in Quart a good free site just south of Gerona. A lady who contacted NC's told us about it, however I didn't contact her as I felt it was a bit of an imposition to arrive at such short notice. Joyce Laird provided me with her email, I must contact her sometime. 25/03/13
Quart N41.93991 E2.83962
Fiat, Diesel, Berga, Roses (48943;48949;48997;49026;49143;200;2404)
26/03/13
Roses (49143;N42-16-15 E3-08-00)
Av de Salvador Dali N42.291794 E3.283709
This is parking for Dali's house at top of hill. Don't go down to village, too narrow, no parking spaces, too small. Free. Camp site opposite but was closed.
Riera de Sant Vancarc N42.28934 E3.27278 This was aire for €21.75
Roses (49170;27;2431) free
27/03/13
Le Boulou Aire (N42.527222 E2.83722) free
28/03/13
Millau (49364;194;2625 N44-05-44 E3-05-09) free
29/03/13
Ispagnac (49411;47;2672;N44-22-14 E3-32-12;) free
30/03/13
Ispagnac free
31/03/13
Puy de Dome, Chatel Guyon, (49581;49597;186;2858;N45-55-22 E30-03-57)
01/04/13
Diesel Briare (49647;49761;164;3022;N47-37-54 E2-44-23)
02/04/13
Catillon Sur Sambre (50000;239;3261;N50-04-37 E3-38-39)
03/04/13
Koningshof Camp site (50200;200;3461)
04/04/13
05/04/13
06/04/13
07/04/13
Kerkenhof
08/04/13
Leiden
09/04/13
Amsterdam
10/04/13
Noordwijk on Sea
11/04/13
Leiden (50203;3)
Delft (50225;22)
12/04/13
Diesel (50339) Damme (50376; 3461) free
12/04/13
Lindenreef (50407;204;3665;N51-38-25 E3-42-30) The Dam free
13/04/13
Hondschoote (50448;41;3709;N50.97628 E2.58033) free
14/04/13
Hondschoote free
15/04/13
Cassel. (50467:19:3728:E2.48883,N50.79344)
16/04/13
Calais Docks. (50523:56;3784)
Oye-de-la-plague (N50.99647; E2.04965)
17/04/13
Dover to Welwyn Garden City. (50523;123:3907)



Ann Speirs 6/5/2013

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