30. Oct, 2021

30. Oct, 2021

SATURDAY 30-10-21

Well we got the Passenger Locator Form filled in and printed out yesterday evening. It wouldn't let us complete and send it until 21:01 for our 20:00 local time arrival in the UK tomorrow, as the computer wasn't clever enough to work out there is a clock change tonight.

In my opinion it contains nothing that is 48-hour time critical, we had just gone to a lot of trouble to produce a four-page form which will probably be looked at by a call centre worker employed by the government and funded by the Test & Trace farce which cost us taxpayers thirty-seven BILLION pounds. So we'll probably get phone calls on Day 2 after our return to ensure we have undertaken our lateral flow test and sent the results of.

We did in fact bring some lateral flow tests out with us just in case we needed to test ourselves at any stage during the trip, but fortunately we didn't feel the need, though we'll be hanging on to the kits as we have winter approaching where I'm sure we're going to see the NHS overwhelmed by a huge surge in illness which will be combinations of flu, colds and Covid-19, and everybody assuming the worst and badgering the NHS.

The reason we will see this rise in illness is because proper face masks DO work (FFP2 or similar - if it's easy to breath through your mask it's no good), not 'face coverings' which this weak-kneed government required people to wear which could have been as little as a thin nylon scarf pulled up over the face. Proper face masks of the correct standard have dramatically reduced infections, and as for the thin paper surgical masks so many people use - you're better off using them to wipe your a*se.

Where did the coughs, sneezes and influenza go during this pandemic? The answer is they were greatly reduced due to social distancing, better hand hygiene and face masks, and The Chef and I will continue to take precautions throughout the winter whenever we deem it necessary.

As for this trip, well we're pleased it's over, it really has been the worst one yet. I can honestly say that if this had been our first ever experience of motorhome touring we'd have been selling Freddie Fendt when we got home, but fortunately we now have enough experience to know that so much of it was just down to bad luck.

None of it has been the fault of Spain or the Spanish, though I wouldn't choose to spend any more time camping with Spanish campers, though like Brits they're not all the same, but what the hell, it's their country and they do as they wish and we can just choose whether to share it with them or not.

Not only that but camping has changed over the years, as indeed have we, and what we've learned is that we don't enjoy revisiting locations nearly as much as we thought we would, and on top of that we've grown to dislike campsites, certainly the bigger ones. We get far more of a buzz from being on the road touring rather than sat on a campsite with all the rules and sometimes dislikeable neighbours. The first half of the trip was more enjoyable, problems aside. We felt we truly were in Spain where most people didn't understand us much of the time, and in the end had the satisfaction of communicating with them one way or another, though I have to say The Chef is very good as she'll recognise many words and their meaning. Even when we drive along she'll regularly reach up to the bookshelf for the dictionary to look up a word she's spotted along the way.

Then we turned the corner and headed up the Mediterranean coast and the Costa's. That really isn't Spain which is exactly what The Chef said as we arrived at Camping La Bella Vista just up the road from Gibraltar. However, love them or hate them we need campsites every few days to charge up and dump, and to have a bit of extra outside living space.

All the maintenece and repair issues are on a rather long list and all will be tackled before our next trip which is likely to be the Door-dog-knee region of France then down to Provence. However having been put through the mill with paperwork on this trip, and the general attitude towards the British by that short-arsed granny-banger of a French President, we may go and spend our money somewhere else.

During the winter months I'll make the time to revisit the 'Advice & Tips' section as I'm sure that must need updating.

As always I'm so glad that I had the pleasure of my darling Rosina throughout this trip. I couldn't and wouldn't do this without her, and on this trip especially she's had to contend with more than the usual amount of expletives. We are also supported by our neighbours, Kathy and Mal who do a wonderful job keeping an eye on the house while we're away and knowing we have such conscientious people watching over it gives us huge peace of mind.

So that's it. We're now in the queue for loading which should start in about an hour. Then it's off back to Boris the Clown's Broken Britain. We've made a point of filling the fuel tank up back down the road and have contemplated bringing food parcels back with us to feed friends and family in case the supermarket shelves are still empty.

I am attaching the Travelscript and spreadsheet detailing our costs which are from Santander back to Santander.

We wish you and your loved ones a safe and healthy winter, and we hope to see you again next spring.

29. Oct, 2021

29. Oct, 2021

29. Oct, 2021