On the Road Again!

On Saturday evening we decided that we had had enough of being pretty much stuck to the pitch. Cabin fever!!  Temps in the day still hovering around 35°C.  I've already had the Chips Rafferty wannabes scoffing at "only" 35!! Google Chips if you have never heard of him. How I began to envy my brother Neill and his mate Patrick as they ride around the island of Ireland in the mere 20's and rain!!! With the "free" days we had earned over the years, the total cost of the stay worked out at £12 or so a night. So hardly a large expense.  I had actually thought about leaving earlier and finding a dog friendly hotel with aircon. Bugger the cost!! In the end we decided to head north earlier. Don't believe Google when it claims higher ground will be cooler. It's not true in these circumstances. At 1350m above sea level in the Pyrenees in was 32°C.... Anyway. We packed everything,...

What can I say?  We did nothing but try and find the shade.   With temperatures touching 35°C plus during the day it was a gamble.  Sadly despite asking for a shaded pitch we seem to have been allocated the least shaded pitch. They had even decapitated the tree that would have provided shade.  Sandaya couldn't control the weather but they could have been more helpful. The site itself has everything for the family. Pools and activities for children. There are several bars. The shop was okay. We only ate "out" one evening with takeaway pizzas. Had the weather been more on the average for the time of year it would have been more enjoyable. Keeping Reggie cool we kept him wrapped in a damp towel, and frequent foot soaks in the collapsible bucket.  When the sun went down was our time for a walk. Most usually around the site but once to the beach. No dogs allowed...

Today we set off after about 5 hours sleep. A few fireworks doesn't usually affect us. We live near a live ammunition Army firing range. The sound of small arms fire interdispersed with larger caliber weapons is a daily occurrence.   But these Chinese made fireworks are LOUD!! First thing trying to get out of the aire. Turn left. The sign indicated a one-way street. Several vans left before us.... Left, then back right. When it was our turn we did the same, turning round and out the way we came in across the  car-park no longer closed to traffic. It was used as firework central and had some food outlets for the firework operators... Next stop at the automatic petrol station. Diesel at €1.349 a litre. With an Eclat discount card it would have been €1.269. I filled to the brim. I have yet to work out the mpg. Then off we went on the N260 to Puigcerda and across into France and Bourg-Madame. ...

I had an email from Sandaya to remind me that I had some loyalty points to use when making a next booking. I was thinking more about the midpoint of the trip when we started to move north or at least east to get away from Spain and into France.  I looked on the site and some of them allowed the use of the points and others didn't. In the end I wanted a good few days where after travelling we could have a longer stay to sit and do nothing.  I found a site near the Mediterranean that allowed me four free nights using my loyalty points. It's called Blue Bayou . I decided on five nights. We can't get in until 3pm on the first day and so it gives us time to come up from Spain and across the border. We have a week to come across from Oyambre and we can take in a few historical sites as well as a run through the Picos.... ...