Well they say a football match is a game of two halves ! But believe me a trip though Spain is also a day of two halves. I left the Aire in Soustons at 8.30 on Thursday morning not looking forward to 680 mile trip toTorrox. The main reason being as I crossed the boarder I realised I had failed to plan. Another factor was the day had started with heavy rain which persisted on and off through until sunset. I was entering another country, but this time I had no map apart from Sue the sat nav, I didn't have a clue where or what campsites there were along the way, and worst of all I realised I only knew 12 words in Spanish !!! Three of which were " A beer please ". It said the arrival time was 12 & a half hours away, not a distance to covered by one man, in one day I'm thinking. Oh something will turn say's I as I sallied forth. It took 2 hours to cover 25 miles through Bayonne & St Jean de Luz. So by the time I was 40 miles north of Madrid it was getting dark. The words of fellow travellers rang in my ears " don't sleep on motorway services or you'll wake up DEAD. Gassed by the Romanians or left for dead in a ditch by sadistic lorry drivers. So what was I to do ? I left the motorway to try and find refuge in a safe place. Just off the motorway I found a sports ground so decided to sleep there. Tired as I was I could not get to sleep wondering if I would be moved on or worse, so after 3 hours of lying there willing sleep to overtake me I decided to move on. It was 1.30 am as I drove out of the sports ground so I told myself at least it will be quiet through Madrid & thankfully it was. By the time 4.30 arrived I was more than ready for sleep, so ignoring warnings I exited the motorway & pulled up at one of the many petrol station / hotel stops. It was well lit & to be honest someone could have had their way with, pulled me nighty down when they'd finished & I'd have known nowt about it. I woke at 8 as the sun was rising.gone was the rain & I set off on the last 2. 3/4 hours of the journey. I have to tell you reader the rest of the trip was awesome when you leave Madrid you climb up into the Sierra Nevada mountains & they are amazing. Has to in the top ten drives of my life. The last 20 miles is a long descent into Malaga through tunnels & across viaducts over spectacular gourges down to the sea in wall to wall sunshine. What a shame I'm alone & not able to record the day. Now have free Wi Fi so will try to upload the two earlier blogs written on my laptop tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment