Monday 18 September partly cloudy / showers / fine, 26°C - Toulouse to Canillo , Andorra

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast then packed up and left camp @ 9:45

·        Drove to N20 and went north, looking for caravan shops to get replacement water tap for the van, all closed

·        Got groceries @ Geant, then petrol (30l for €35 @ 56286)

·        Back onto N20 heading south @ 11:15, onto A620 south to N20 again

·        South along flat valley floor, then onto motorway into start of Pyrenees , back to single carriage way again

·        Stopped for lunch at rest area @ 1:30, then for petrol @ Ax-le-Thermes @ 1:45 (15l for €21.75 @ 56428)

·        Then started climb up to Pas d’Envalira, up a norrow gorge then up long switchbacks

·        Avoided top of passand went through new tunnel (€10!) and out into Andorra

·        Drove down through Soldeu and to Canillo, found camp ( Camp Pla , €14 for 1 night) and set up in the sun @ 3:00

·        Out for walk around town, a bit different to our visit in 2002 for skiing, looked around shops and had an icecream in the sun at the gondola station

·        Back to camp and relaxed

·        To the pool for a swim @ 6:00 (€5 ea) then back to camp, sun gone behind mountains, tea @ 7:00

·        Out for a walk around the camp and along river outside camp, back @ 8:30

·        A bit chilly here tonight

Tuesday 19 September fine, 25°C - Canillo to Guardiola de Bergueda , Spain

·        Up @ 8:30, chilly start (7 degrees), walked to patiseree and got croissants and baguette, back to camp and ate breakfast

·        Packed up van and left @ 10:00, drove south to Andorra la Vella, parked van @ 10:30

·        Walked arouns shops, across river and into the old town, looked at Parliament building then back to info centre

·        Found internet café and surfed net (€1.50 for ½ hour)

·        Back to van and left @ 12:00, drove down to Spanish border, and through @ 12:30

·        Drove south to La Seu d’Urgell then east on N260, then south through Tunel de Cadi (€7.70) and onto E9 C16 south again

·        Turned off at  Guardiola de Bergueda onto B400 and to camp (Camp el Bergueda, €19.78 for 1 night) and parked/ set up @ 2:00 (reception not open until 4:00)

·        Relaxed in the sun, checked in @ 4:00

·        Tea @ 6:30

Wednesday 20 September fine / misty / fine, 32°C - Guardiola de Bergueda to Lleida

·        Up @ 8:30, got bread from reception, had breakfast and packed up, left camp @ 9:45

·        Drove back to E9 then south, stopped @ Berga for petrol (€29.5l for €30 @ 56612) (petrol €1.01/l in Spain so far, €0.96/l in Andorra, €1.40/l in north France to €1.17/l in south)

·        South again, onto C55 to Montserrat , into mist / fog now, stopped @ Cog Railway (Cremallera) and packed

·        Bought combi ticket for railway up to monastery then other funiculars as required (€12 ea)

·        Caught 10:30 train up, took 20 minutes up through and above the fog

·        Walked around monestry area, into Bascilica and through shops, caught funicular up (Funicular de Sant Joan) to look at the view and the mountain

·        Back down @ 1:00, then back down in the Cremallera, arr 2:00, fine now

·        Had lunch in the van then south again to  Abrera then onto A2 and northwest

·        Climbed up through hills then onto plateau, dry dusty and a bit bleak

·        Turned off @ Lleida and north on C13 to Vilanova de la Barca to camp (a bit hard to find)

·        Checked in (€20 for night) and set up @ 4:00

·        Walked around complex (very quiet, just us and another camper, lots of empty statics)

·        Walked to village along C13 (about 1 km), bought some groceries (1l tetrapack of wine, 6 bottles of San Miguel (25cl) and 1.5l of bottled water, €3.50! (€2 for the beer, €1 for the wine))

·        Back to camp in the heat @ 5:30, relaxed in the shade

·        Tea @ 7:00, walked around camp then sat outside in the dark

Thursday 21 September partly cloudy / breezy / showers, 25°C - Lleida to Calatayud

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast and packed van, left camp @ 9:45

·        Drove south on C13 then onto N11 and into Lleida from the east, across river then parked van beside river

·        Walked along Ramla de Ferran then to Placa Sanbt joan then up to elevator up to Seu Vella (€0.40 ea)

·        Walked up to Seu Vella (church) and went inside (€2.40 ea), looked around church and cloisters, then AC went up belltower (238 steps up to roof), in time for 11:00 bells

·        Looked around ruins of old Muslim Palace then back down and along shoppings streets and back to van (bought 500ml bottle of coke and 500ml bottle of water, €1.13!)

·        Back to van @ 11:45 then drove through town and north out to A2, got petrol (30l for €30@ 56816kms)

·        Onto A2 and west, desolate landscape, bare earth, no greenery, and windy

·        Into Zaragoza @ 2:00, through town (got a bit lost) then onto Madrid road and out to supermarket at Valdefierro area, parked van

·        Got hot sausage and cheese sandwich for lunch then did grocery shopping, ac bought new shoes (slip-on’s €14), drew €70, back to van

·        Drove around area looking for camp, apparently it’s shut, decided to go southwest to Calatayud (about 70kms) instead, no other camps in Zaragoza

·        Back onto the Madrid road and onto the A2 south, stopped and got petrol (30l for €30 @ 56998)

·        Continued on A2 into the hills to Calatayud, turned off and found camp (Camping Calatayud, €38 for 2 nights) and parked / setup @ 5:30, relaxed

·        Tea @ 7:00 (steak!)

Friday 22 September fine, 27°C - Calatayud / Zaragoza

·        Up @ 9:00, had breakfast etc, did some washing, left @ 10:15, cycled to Calatayud station, train to Zaragosa @ 11:40, got tickets (40min journey, €16 for 2, one way)

·        Walked along street to cash machine and drew €100

·        Back and got on train (had to go through security and bag scan first!), left @ 11:40, train runs on new high speed lines (built for AVE trains), but is  a normal train

·        Arr Zaragoza Delicias station @ 12:20 (new station building)

·        Walked along Ave de Navarro to Aljaferia (old palace and current regional government hq), closed until 4:30pm

·        Walked through narrow streets, into shopping area, and to Plaza de Pilar, @ 1:00

·        Had lunch (2x large plate of squid rings, €18) at café on plaza

·        Walked along Plaza, into Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar (free!) for look around

·        Walked along to La Seo then back along Plaza and through to River Ebro (muddy and swollen after rain)

·        Back through Plaza and back to Avenuda de Augusto, walked up to shops then across to Plaza de Toros (bullfighting ring)

·        Had drink and a rest in the shade in Plaza de Portillo @ 3:45

·        Walked to old train station then back towards new station, walked up Avenuda de Madrid, then back to Av de Navarro and back to Delicias station @ 4:40, bought tickets for train (slow train, 1hr on old tracks, €5 ea) and waited

·        Boarded @ 5:15, left @ 5:25, arr Calatayud @ 6:30 (winding railway through the mountains)

·        Cycled back to camp and relaxed, had nibbles for tea

Saturday 23 September cloudy / fine / showers / fine, 27°C - Calatayud to Madrid

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast etc, packed van and left @ 10:00

·        Drove to Hipermarcat in Calatayud, got some groceries (12 bottles of San Miguel = €3.74!)

·        Drove through Calatayud and onto A2 southwest, up through mountains then into Castilla La Macha and onto plateau @ 1200m

·        Stopped for petrol @ Torija (30l for €30 @ 57222kms)

·        Stayed on A2, round Guadalajara and into Madrid , onto M40 then north and off @ junction 8 (after u-turn @ junction 7)

·        Found camp (Camping Osuna, €52 for 2 nights), checked in @ set up @ 1:30

·        Had lunch (sandwiches) then walked to Canillejas Metro station and got metro to Gran Via (€1 per journey)

·        Went to Casa de Libro and bought English books (Ben Elton’s First Casualty and Monica Ali’s Brick Lane, €10 ea) then walked down towards Sol station, Liz bought magazine in El Cortes Ingles

·        Had coffee and cake @ 3:30 then back to Gran Via and caught metro back @ 4:00, back @ camp @ 4:30

·        Relaxed

·        Tea @ 7:30, out for a walk around Parque Juan Carlos I, back @ 9:00

Sunday 24 September cloudy / showers, 20°C - Madrid

·        Up @9:00, had breakfast etc, walked to metro and into Gran Via, arr 10:15

·        Walked down to Puerta del Sol, started walking tour in Lonely Planet guide

·        Walked through to Plaza Mayor, then Plaza de la Villa, then past San Andres to Basilica San Francisco el Grande

·        Turned back up to flea market at El Rasto, walked around, very crowded, AC had phone picked from his pocket trouser pocket, tried ringing it a few times but gone, got out of there

·        Walked to Calle de Bailen and along past Cathedral, Palacio Real and through Plaza de Oriente

·        Walked through Plaza de Espana and along Gran Via, lunch in Burger King at 12:45

·        Walked along Gran Via to east end then north on Paseo de la Recoletos to Plaza de Colon, to Columbus statue

·        Then around behind Biblioteca and south to Plaza de la Independecia and then back to Plaza de la Cibeles

·        South past Prado Museums to Atocha Station

·        Went into old part of station and had coffee at 3:00

·        North again then through Calle de las Huertas and back to Sol, walked back to Gran Via metro and back to camp, arr 4:45

·        Relaxed

·        Tea at 7:00, showers starting again

Monday 25 September fine, 28°C - Madrid to Toledo

·        Up @ 9:00, had breakfast, packed van and left @ 10:00, drove around M40 to A42 south

·        Off motorway at Toledo , through town to C4000, across River Toja and west to camp (Camping El Greco, €25 for 1 night), checked in and setup @ 11:45

·        Walked back to River then across Puente de San Martin and up the hill

·        Went into San Juan de los Reyes to look at 2 storey cloister (€1.90 ea) @ 12:30, then through streets to Cathedral @ 1:15, drew €100 on way

·        Sat in Plaza del Ayuntamiento and had lunch

·        Walked around Cathedral and through to Plaza Zocodover then through to Alcazar

·        Walked around looking for internet place, found one, checked emails atc

·        Walked back through Zocodover and down the hill to Puerta Nueva de Bisagra (gate) then around to ruins of old Roman Circus

·        Back up the hill (by escalator) and back past San Juan de los Reyes to look at shops

·        AC bought t-shirt (Torres) for €10

·        Back to Puerta del Cambrion, had coffee and sat outside

·        Walked back down to Puente de San Martin and walked back to camp, arr 4:30

·        Relaxed in the sun / shade

·        Tea @ 7:00, walked around camp

Tuesday 26 September fine, 32°C - Toledo to Merida

·        Up @ 9:00, had breakfast and packed up

·        Left camp @ 9:45, drove west on C4000 through rolling country to Talavera at 10:45

·        Stopped at Carrefour and got groceries and petrol (€30 for 30l @ 57453)

·        Back on the road at 11:40, got onto A5 (motorway) west

·        Off at Trujillo , packed van and walked into old town @ 1:30

·        Sat in Plaza Mayor and had sandwiches ( Trujillo is where the Pizarro’s lived, of Inca conquest fame)

·        Walked up the hill to old town and castle, looked around in the heat then back down to van @ 2:30

·        Back onto the A5, stopped for petrol before Merida (30l for €30 @ 57673kms)

·        Off at junction 333, found camp (Camping Merida) and checked in (€16 for 1 night)

·        Parked and set up @ 4:00, relaxed

·        Tea @ 7:30, out for a walk along the road, back @ 8:30

Wednesday 27 September fine / fog / fine, 28°C - Merida to Elvora , Portugal

·        Up @ 9:00, had breakfast and packed up

·        Left @ 10:00, around town of Merida and onto A5 west, crossed into Portugal , around Elvas then off mortorway (before pay section) onto N4, west

·        Through patch of fog around Elvoramonte, stopped for petrol (€30 for 24l @ 57842, petrol €1.23/l)

·        Turned off N4 onto N18 and southwest to Elvora, round town on ring road (outside city walls), found camp ground and checked in (€16 for 1 night)

·        Parked and setup

·        Cycled into town, parked bikes near Praca de Giraldo, drew €100

·        Walked to Catedral  and Diana Temple then through streets (lots of white and yellow houses) to San Francisco Church, sat in Jardim Publico @ 2:30 then back around streets to Praca de Giraldo then north through shopping streets to aqueduct then to Porta de Lagos (town gate) then back to Placa de Giraldo, got cakes on the way

·        Back to bikes and cycled back to camp (2.5kms) @ 5:00

·        Sat in the shade, relaxed, Liz went for swim in camp pool

·        Tea @ 7:30, eaten in the sun

Thursday 28 September cloudy / showers / fine, 28°C - Evora to Lisbon

·        Up @ 9:00, had breakfast, packed up etc, checked out and left @ 10:00

·        Discovered that Portugal is not GMT+1 as with rest of Europe but GMT!, so we left camp @ 9:00!

·        Headed onto N114 north west , then on N4 west, south at Pegroes onto N10

·        Followed N10 through Setubal (got lost coming out again, brief double back) and north towards Targus (Tejo) river

·        Onto A2 and over 25 April bridge and into Lisbon , got wrong exit so another double back, this time through narrow coubled streets then west on A5, then N117 and off to camp (Camping Parque Florestal de Monsanto, €37 for 2 nights), checked in and setup @ 1:00

·        Big site, each pitch has it’s own water and drain

·        Looked around camp a bit then caught bus (750) from outside camp gate to Centro Commercial Colombo (shopping centre)

·        Walked around, had coffee and cakes (€3.50!) then got some groceries, back on the bus @ 4:30

·        Relaxed

·        Tea @ 7:30, walked around camp

Friday 29 September cloudy / showers / fine / foggy, 26°C - Lisbon

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast etc, left @ 9:45, caught bus 714 to town, arr Cais do Sodres at 10:30

·        Queued for 10 minutes to get day pass (€7.60 for 2, includes metro buses etc)

·        Walked along to Placa do Commercio then up Rua Augusta, went up tower (free with day card), then down

·        Walked to Placa do Pedro V (Rossio), had coffee (€4 for 2) then through to Martin Moniz metro station (rough neighbourhood), caught tram (12E) up hill to Castel de Sao Jorge, didn’t go in, walked around streets and down to Se Catedral, dark and gloomy

·        Caught tram back down to Baixa area, then stayed on for another round on the tram

·        Got off in Baixa and had lunch at café at 1:00, sat outside (Sardines for AC, omelette for Liz, €18)

·        Walked back to Rossio then up Avenida da Liberdade, then up through Parque Edward VII

·        Walked over hill to El Cortes Ingles, went in and had drink at 3:30, AC bought wifi detector (€30) and Liz bought magazines

·        Walked to Sao Sabastiao metro and got metro back to Baixa, walked back down to Placa do Comercio then caught tram (15E) along to Belem at 5:00

·        Walked to Padrao dos Descorbrimentos, then along to Torre de Belem

·        Caught tram to Alges, then bus 750 back to camp at 6:30, back at 6:45

·        Had tea and relaxed

Saturday 30 September showers / cloudy / fine, 26°C - Lisbon to Abrantes

·        Up @ 8:30, had warm rolls for breakfast then packed up

·        Left @ 9:30, drove to petrol station (€37 for 30l @ 58043kms)

·        Onto motorway, out past airport and north on A1, turned off @ Alverca @ 10:30 and north on N10, through towns to Villa Franca

·        Over bridge on N10 to Porto Alto, stopped and got groceries, back underway @ 11:45

·        North on N118 across flat river plains, through lots of little towns, lots of gum trees, like being in Australia

·        Turned back across Tejo on N243 then N365 and onto A23 motorway east, turned off to Abrantes, then around town and hills

·        Over River Tejo again on N2, found camp beside bridge (Clube de Campismo do Abrantes, €8 for 1 night), checked in and paid, setup @ 2:00

·        Relaxed, went for a walk around village (Rossio ao Sul do Tejo), then back to camp

·        Tea @ 7:00 (steaks again), walk around village again, back to camp @ 8:30

Sunday 1 October cloudy / misty / fine, 23°C (Abrantes) / 17°C (Guarda) - Abrantes to Guarda

·        Up @ 9:00, had breakfast and packed up van

·        Left camp @ 10:00, drove through Abrantes and back onto A23

·        Stopped for petrol (€36 for 30l @ 58213kms), then back underway

·        Stayed on A23 northwards, up into the hills / mountains, past highest mountain in Portugal (in the mist)

·        Off A23 at Guarda, drove to town and found camp (Camping Municipal, €8.75 for 1 night), found site and set up @ 12:30

·        Had lunch then walked into town, very quiet as it’s Sunday

·        Walked up to castle then to Se Catedral and around narrow streets, back to camp @ 2:30

·        Relaxed, a bit chilly here, Portugal ’s highest city

·        Tea at 6:30 then a quick walk around the streets

Monday 2 October cloudy / fine / cloudy / breezy, 26°C - Guarda to Salamanca , Spain

·        Up @ 8:00, had breakfast, packed up and left camp @ 9:00

·        Onto A25 eastbound to Spanish border, got petrol in Spain (30l for €29.30 @ 58441kms), changed clocks back to Euro time

·        East again, not on motorway for 20 kms, under construction then back on motorway

·        Through hills onto rolling plain of Castilla y Leon

·        Off at Salamanca , found camp in Villamayor (camping Ruta de la Plata, €16 for 1 night)

·        Parked and set up @ 12:00

·        Caught 12:30 bus into town (€1 ea)

·        Walked through to Plaza Mayor, found a McDonalds for lunch

·        Walked down Rua Mayor to Cathedral, went in, huge!

·        Paid €3.50 each and went into old cathedral next door and cloisters

·        Back out then around to south side of cathedral, AC went up tower (€2.50) and into high levelof cathedrals

·        Walked down to River Tormes, across roman bridge then back through town, past university

·        Found internet place and checked emails atc

·        Had coffee in sun in Plaza Mayor at 3:30

·        Walked north along shopping streets to Avenida de Mirat and back around to Gran Via

·        AC bought paper and Liz bought magazines, waited for 5:00 bus in Gran Via, back to camp @ 5:30

·        Relaxed

·        Tea @ 7:00, then walk along road to edge of village

Tuesday 3 October showers / mainly fine / cloudy / showers / cloudy, 23°C - Salamanca to Bilbao

·        Up @ 9:00, had breakfast and packed van

·        Left camp @ 10:00, onto A62 northeast

·        Off at junction 184 and through Alaejos (opposite side of the world from Wellington , NZ)

·        Stopped for petrol (30l for €29.60 @ 58617kms)

·        Back onto A62 and continued northeast across the plains

·        Turned off at Burgos and got groceries at El Corte Ingles, drew €100

·        Back onto A62 and then onto A1 for a couple of kms (€0.95)

·        Off onto N1 then back towards Burgos , looking for camp @ 2:00, found it but long closed

·        Decided to continue to Bilbao , so north east on N1 into the hills

·        Stopped for petrol near Fuentebureba (30l for 28.60 @ 58869kms)

·        Carried on N1 through gorge at Pancorbo, and through Miranda de Ebro

·        Onto A1 free motorway after then to Vitoria then onto N622 towards Bilbao

·        Onto toll motorway A68 at top of hills then down to Bilbao (toll €4 for about 30kms)

·        Through Bilbaoand north across the river to Sopelana, found camp (Camping Sopelana, €50 for 2 nights), set up @ 4:30

·        Relaxed

·        Walked down to the beach at 6:00, had a coffee then back to the camp

·        Tea at 7:30

·        Showers started again, then thunderstorm

Wednesday 4 October showers / mainly fine / showers, 22°C - Bilbao

·        Up @ 9:00, had breakfast, watched then rain

·        Left camp @ 10:15, walked to Larrabasterra metro station, bought day ticket (€3 each) then got on train to town

·        Arrived at Casco Viejo station at 10:45, walked to Plaza Nueva then to elevator and up (€0.30 each) for view over town, walked down steep streets back to Casco Viejo station

·        Walked through to river (Rio de Bilbao), through old town, then across Puente del Arenal to railway station (Abando)

·        Walked south to Kalea Eskalduna, and found magazine shop with English mags

·        Walked through to Plaza Moyua then east along Lopez de Haro then through to Calle de Ercilla and north east to river again and down to bridge (Zubizuri) and across

·        Through to funicular station and got tickets to go up (Funicular de Artxanda, €0.81 each), and went up @ 1:00

·        Looked over town from top and over airport then backdown @ 1:30

·        Walked along river past Guggenheim Museum then over Puente Pedro Arrupe to Guggenheim

·        Had lunch @ 2:00 at café next to museum (€10), sat in sun under umbrella (showers threatening)

·        Walked along river past Guggenheim then up onto Puente Principe de Espanya and then south

·        Walked back around to entrance to Guggenheim, went into lobby and looked in giftshop

·        Back out and walked around to shopping mall then across Puenta de Deustu, then along river front to Deustu metro station

·        Caught train to Areeta at 4:00, walked to river to look at transporter bridge, paid €0.30 to go across (each way), heavy rain started after first crossing

·        Waited for rain to ease then back to Areeta station and metro back to Sopelana station at 5:30

·        Walked back to camp

·        Relaxed

·        Tea @ 7:30, showers starting again, some thunder

Thursday 5 October mainly fine, 23°C - Bilbao to St Jean de Luz , France

·        Up @ 9:00, had breakfast and packed van in dry weather, but everything wet

·        Left @10:00, drove back towards town then out past airport and east on N637

·        Onto pay motorway at junction 17, stopped for petrol at junction 13 (30l for €29 @ 59094kms)

·        Off motorway at junction 12 (€4) and through Zumaia and around pretty coast, past Guetaria to Zarautz

·        Stopped and got some leaving spain shopping (€3.80 for 12 bottles of San Miguel (x3), €0.98 for 1 litre Don Simon wine in tetra pack (x4)), drew €100

·        Back onto A8 and east past San Sebastian and through French border (€1.20 to Spanish motorway, €2 for French)