Now we are about to just "pop into France" to meet up with our great UK friends who we first met in Split Croatia - Calum and Jane - they operate "The fun bus" as we operate Molly Bolero or Molly B for short. (Molly A we have not forgotten you).
As we leave Alquezar we backtrack a little through Huerto de Vero, Pozan de Vero and Castilla Zuelo and past El Grado - where there is a huge power station perched on the hillside - and Abizanda and Samitia. We are starting to climb from the Lower to the Haute (high) Pyranees and the drive is spectacular. We are driving through everyday Spain, as opposed to tourist Spain, as we barrel through Mediano and past Castejon taking in all the small villages straddling the hilltops around us. Morillo de Tar flashes past as does L'Ainsa and Labuerda which sits under the watchful eye of a huge mountain.
We are on the Pyranian Aragonis route where the roads are now quite twisty and narrow and at La Fortunada we are faced with a huge truck whizzing around a sharp lefthander and well over the centre white line. Remember we are right hand drive but driving on the right too which leaves me as a passenger slightly more than exposed. There is also nothing to our right but a steep drop. How Gary managed to avoid a collision I do not know - maybe he just closed his eye and went for it??? but it was definitely time for a coffee and a talk with the universe after that one.
Which we did, beside a river and just before the border between Spain and France, at Bielsa.
Snow poles are now starting to appear at 1800metres and we are definitely in the High Pyranees now. A long tunnel appears and when we finally come out the other end we are in France - just like that - and our descent begins which feels as though it goes on and on forever. Open roads, no side protection or barriers just massive drops if you unfortunately misjudge, and continuous hair-pin bends as we snake down through Aragnouet Chambrere, Aragnouet and Aragnouet Moudang, Eget and Cite. We go through many avalanche tunnels, past the ski town of St Lary, through Boursip and Ancizan and we are now on the Route de la Lacs. Beyrede is next and we are in the Vallee du Louron where we pass through Sarrancolin - a very Australian looking place - Rebouc, Heches and Bartle-de Nest and we are at our destination????? .....NOT!!!!
We have been travelling East instead of West since coming off the Haute Pyranees and we are 2hours and 15mins off course. Setting a new journey in the GPS we set off again without an angry word spoken but we did laugh a lot.
Yep we are heading for Lourds - definitely correct now - Escala, Semeac, Tarbes, Bruges through the very green and fertile Vallie de Ossau and we are at our destination?????? .....NOT!!!!!!! Resetting the GPS again we discover Camping le Rey is just 100 yards along the road as are Calum and Jane waiting patiently.
Many hours were spent under the stars that very late afternoon and evening talking, drinking and eating fabulous "Calum cooked" food, until well into the early hours when words were beginning to be heard to slur and eyes started drooping. It was such a great catchup and it is always the spontaneous ones that are the best.
Unfortunately the next morning it was raining which scuppered our cooked breakfast ideas but we were all ready to continue on our separate ways - Calum and Jane to continue their European journey and us to head for the Bilbao ferry which heralds the closeness of the ending of this particular journey for us in Molly B. Big hugs and kisses all round and fond adieus and see-you-soons (because we know we will) and we were on the road again, this time heading to Ondres, North of Biarritz for two nights to break the journey to Bilbao.
Nothing special in Ondres at all. A small market in the town centre on the Sunday but not a pretty or inviting town and sadly lacking in any cafes or restaurants. The camp was due to close on the day we were leaving, the wifi didn't work, the swimming pool and restaurant were closed and to be honest there was only ever 3 of us there at any one time, which causes me to question why, on both nights, someone drove in right beside us on night one and behind us on night two? this camp was medium size with lots of lovely places to park.
Anyway we were the last to leave on their closing day and as they thanked us for coming, profusely waved goodbye, they closed the gates on their season......right behind us!!!!!
It is Monday and Bilbao is calling - the ferry is booked so we head once again for Spain through the Basque country. Tarnes, Bayonne, Biarritz and just after Hendaye we cross back into Spain and our journey to the Port of Bilbao, where we will spend the night parked on the docks, suddenly becomes a nightmare with heavy trucks barrelling along narrow coastal roads - they wait or slow down for no-one, forcing others to continuously pull over and stop - but hey this is Spain and we are sure it can only get better. This is, in fact, correct because suddenly we are rural again but, just as suddenly, we are slap bang into big and busy again in Orio and following this yo-yo day we now driving along a very scenic coastline, reminicent of Kaikoura, and Zarautz, Zumia and Tolasa flash past. From Deba we drive through deep gorges and valleys following the river and then, quite suddenly, the scenery changes again at Bizkaia and the towns, Mallabia, Zaldibar Beriz and Iuretta are pure ugly with with concrete jungles of apartment blocks and one has the feeling we are in Russia not Spain. This is definitely not a pretty part of Spain by a long shot but now we are nearly at the Port and it is a breeze. You can check in the day before your ferry, between 4pm and 7pm, and stay in your lane on the dock overnight and hey...........we arrive dead on 4pm and passport and check-in is open and there is no one else in sight. This has got to be good don't you think?
Mmmmmm obviously others have done this before and know the system well for when we arrive at our lane people are well ensconsed with their chairs and tables out, cooking tea and basking in the last of the days sunshine. Looks funny and ridiculous all at the same time so we are happy to escape the cigarette smoke and loud Yorkshire accents and relax inside Molly B. We are happy to be here in one piece with all our mirrors and bells and whistles and the sea looks calm which, to me, is a big bonus.
Lulled to sleep by the continuous drone of generators we both slept quite well, surprisingly, and were one of the first motorhomes to be called on board but firstly we had to get through Passport Control which was not so easy. The nice gentleman in his booth took Garys passport, flicked through it, put it in his passport reader scanner, left his booth saying " Un momento" and was a full 5 minutes before he returned with a huge smile on is face saying "Stamp, Stamp" and gave the passport back grinning from ear to ear. Relieved we drove on towards the boat only to be faced with a huge, juddery ramp to climb. By this stage my heart was in my mouth but a quick climb, a quick swivel on the spot at the far end of the boat and then a drive back to the front we were high fiving it.......first on - first off!!!!!!
The cabins were great on board, we had a window this time, and the beds comfortable which was good because that was where I spent most of my time fighting nausea and a spinning head which no longer seemed connected to my body. This is a 24hour crossing through the Bay of Biscay and it was the swell that got me. The sea was calm - no white caps at all - but that swell!! Anyway it was a good crossing all in all for Gary and the next morning being called to our deck we were happy to be in a position where we would quickly off load and get on our way. This was not to be - first on, last off in our case because Gary had to reverse out of this little spot after everyone else had disembarked, apart from the truck in front of us. Then it was the Passport experience again with Gary only on the UK side - so many questions!!!! When did this all happen? Finally we were away and driving on the left hand side on Motorways to Chertsey where we planned to stay a few nights, store Molly B for a few nights whilst we did our trip to Santorini and then stay a few more nights on our return.
This arrangement did not quite work out as planned as they had no storage space and we could not leave it on site for 8 days whilst we were away because it was a flood prone site - the Thames runs through it!!!!!!!
Cutting a long story short - Neil to the rescue. He phoned his storage place and arranged that. He organised a lift to Gatwick airport for us from the storage place and tomorrow we head for Santorini and warm weather. Thanks Neil for getting us out of that mess - very much appreciated.
We are packed and all ready to fly tomorrow. xxx
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