Sunday 8th February 2015.
This morning we left campsite Casa Rosa, Moncarapacho and Portugal.
Some while ago friends Rosemary and Frank invited us to join them on a three month tour of Morocco and we have spent a frenetic 19 days trying to organise things (well Sue and Rosemary have) and it is surprising how many things from HepA and HepB boosters to car insurance green cards that needed organising.
It’s now all done, or being ignored, and we have started the run down to Tarifa and are now ensconced at a site grandly named Campsite Playa Las Dunas Cat.1 at Ei Puerto de Santa Maria, just across the bay from Cadiz.
Monday 9th February 2015
Thank goodness three things have now gone wrong so that should be the end of the bad luck run. Problem number one, when I went to fit the tow mirrors yesterday I discovered the drivers side towing mirror broken. It must be mounted on a film because the glass stayed together (sort of) and with the addition of some duct tape along the bottom can still be used, Luckily it is only really used when pulling back in after overtaking so I can cope with the “spiders web” across it.
Problem number two was Franks jockey wheel refusing to lower when the handle is twisted. Still a bit of brute force removed it from the caravan and the local dealer is getting a new one for the day after tomorrow.
Problem number three is also with Rosemary and Frank’s caravan, There is no hot water - the cylinder refuses to fill. Frank has spent most of today working on it and has found black carbon in the cold water pipes and discovered a carbon filter on the cold supply to the kitchen tap seems to have failed allowing the carbon to escape into the pipe system, and clog parts of the system particularly those parts that allow water into the hot water system. This problem may cause a serious set back as we cannot even contemplate going to Africa without fully functioning caravans and in particular services to a bathroom.
Tuesday 10th February 2015.
The people in the motorhome behind us have just returned from seven weeks in Morocco and have passed on lots of hints and tips as well as a new road map, a book of campsites and a “Rough Guide to Morocco” and some odd change. Thank you.
After yesterdays unbelievably frustrating day with the hot water system it was decided that Frank needed to get away for a while and think of other things, so today we walked to the ferry terminal, around twenty or so minutes walk from the campsite and took a fast ferry to Cadiz. It is a very nice city indeed with lots to see and do however we were soon in a quality menswear shop that had a shirt offer running. Unbelievably they had some that fitted me so I bought a half dozen at only €25 each (around£18.50) blimey how cheap is that? Lets hope we feel the same after they have been washed. ( They are fine)
We would have visited the Cathedral but they wanted a total of €20 (£15) entry fee which we thought was excessive.
Back on the campsite we went to the site restaurant for dinner. The “menu del dia” - menu of the day - was €10.00 (£7.40) for a three course meal including an alcoholic drink with the meal and coffee afterwards. It was great value with good sized and tasty portions.
Wednesday 11th February 2015
Frank worked on his water system for most of the day only declaring it fixed around three in the afternoon. We then collected and installed his new jockey wheel, and we bought a new drivers towing mirror - we are now back on track for our visit to Africa and leave for Tarifa, our Africa departure port tomorrow. Hurrah.
Thursday 12th February 2015
Rain has “persisted” down all night, leaving the site a puddle obstacle course still we are moving further south today so we hope it will be dryer there.
Thursday 12th February 2015 1.30pm
The rain has also persisted down this morning and more to the point the navigator took us the wrong (slow) way so although starting at the same time, Rosemary and Frank arrived at Camping Valdevaqueros over half an hour before us - damn! Not that I’m competitive of course
Friday 13th February 2015.
It had to be Friday 13th.
Morocco is cancelled - no not cancelled - postponed.
The problem Frank has worked so hard to fix was back this morning with a vengeance and to go to Morocco you must have one hundred percent confidence in you equipment as there are very few if any caravan stores in that part of Africa. Frank and Rosemary must now return home to Moncarapacho in Portugal, positively identify the problem, order any necessary spares from UK and only when these arrive can repairs take place. A process that may take several weeks.
Sue and I could have continued on our own but, as the whole trip had been planned as a joint venture with each party supporting the other in what, with a caravan, can be a very challenging environment, we decided to postpone the whole thing for a year or so until we can get together again and repeat the exercise. Our pitches at Camping Valdevaqueros are very sad places today Rosemary and Sue have put so much work into the trip and are both devastated.
So where will we go now? Watch this space!