# "Oh this year we're off to sunny Spain..."



## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

So the MH is all packed (apart from the fridge stuff which will go in, in the morning) and then we are off!









We are staying at the C&MC site near the chunnel tomorrow night and then following what appears to be a well worn route: Chunnel - Pont Authou - Poitiers - Bordeaux - Urrugne - Zaragoza...and then on to Oropesa.

On the way back in February, we have an extra night at Montreuil before hitting the tunnel.

If anyone spots the red dragon on the back (piccy below) please do say hello. If its after 4.00pm there may even be a cheeky beer going too


















Graham


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Happy travels Graham. Don't use up all the sun:grin2:


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Hope all goes smoothly, have a good time, but of course you will still be here won´t you.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Have a good time G & wife, keep the shiny side up, post pictures and tales often.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes, safe journey Graham.
We will be just south of Bordeaux tomorrow night near Dax. Before heading for Madrid 3 nights and then Algarve. Will keep looking for the dragon if your on the toll roads.

Ray.


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

Bon vacance and also in Spanish 

Davy


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

Save Journey Graham to you and yours.

All the very best on your travels.

Drew


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

GMJ said:


> So the MH is all packed (apart from the fridge stuff which will go in, in the morning) and then we are off!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hi Graham
Is that Oropesa Del Mar and Didota camping

Dave


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

DJMotorhomer said:


> Hi Graham
> Is that Oropesa Del Mar and Didota camping
> 
> Dave












Graham


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

We like Didota, we have stayed there twice, once in 2013 and this year approx. February.
Pitches are a little tight aren't they lol

You are not the chap who pitches straight facing the main gate are you with 2 dogs as I saw an Autotrail (the same one) on both our visit.

We like cycling up to Marina D'or in an evening if the lights are on and wander through the gardens there with the peacocks.

The only downer for us there is if you turn left on the boardwalk it does get a little rougher . A lot of what looks like fly tipping further down, but if you turn right heading for Marina D'or it is a lovely walk.
Reception staff are always very helpful and on both visits we have taken the Spanish classes there. Although in 2013 Jan and I booked the visiting hairdresser and although mine came out ok but Jan looked like William Shakespeare hahahaha

Enjoy Graham 

Dave


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

We haven't been before Dave so its all a new experience for us.

Next January we plan to go down for 2 or 3 months so this is a recon trip really as much as a holiday. We'll hire a car for a day or two if we can and have a look around.

Graham :smile2:


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

It is a nice camp right on the stony beach. It is very tight getting onto a pitch but doable lol

Marina D'or is lovely at night when it is all lit up, couple of eateries up there too.

Mercado supermarket is about a 20 min walk away.

All reception staff are very helpful and nice. We ate in the restaurant once but it is nothing special.

A tip on which pitch. Pitches near the sea (Hessian fence blocks view off) although nice, people but especially bikes using the boardwalk do make a lot of noise. Lots of Germans and Dutch there. We went once and went back again so that says it all. Wifi was chargeable on our second visit as was the electricity. Cheap though in ACSI book. In 2013 it was Easter when we went and there was no extra charge.
The small block of flats facing the camp entrance does look like the HQ of the KGB though lol.

Last tip, on arrival park outside and walk into reception otherwise you will block the barriered gate whilst checking in and they ask you to walk around and choose your pitch.

Any questions you have Graham...just ask Judith Chalmers was my mum hahahahahaha

Dave


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

My gas regulator went here and with no spare, reception helped immensely as there is a motorhome garage 30 mins away 

Dave


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Have a great time Graham, and keep us posted.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Woo hoo! Happy travels


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Well, we are back now :smile2:

2,650 miles at 25.9mpg so not too shabby/ MPG was hit on the way down due to very bad weather in France - it was blowing a hoolie which isn't great on the mpg when you are driving a large breeze black shaped vehicle...

We faced a major issue literally 300 metres from home when the engine warning light came on. We went straight to my friends garage who plugged his diagnostic machine in and it showed a fault AGAIN on the brand new O2 sensor which had been fitted not 10 days since. We therefore had to go via the Fiat Service Centre in Swindon who where absolutely superb. I explained that we were en route for a month away and they saw us straight away. They diagnosed that the O2 sensor was fine and if anything it could be an electrical wiring fault. They reset it; charged me £46 (which was a bargain for the time and trouble they took); and we were on our way. Fortunately it didn't act up again for the whole trip.

The weather picked up as we travelled down through France but crossing the uplands in Spain it was nobbling...with a brief snow flurry! Weather whilst at our site was excellent: it got up to 24 degrees one day. Every day on at least 1 occasion we walked on the beach and every day I had a paddle in the Med. I was 51/49% against actually going in for a dip but bottled it as it was cold tbh...

Our hot electric hot water heater played up from day one. It either wouldn't attain the 60 degrees heat; or said it had reached 60 when the light went out...but it actually hadn't! And this was after being on for anything up to 16 hours. It wasn't an issue though as we just used our on board gas on the way down and then used Spanish gas at €12.60 for a large cylinder (bargain!!) whilst there. We had an empty Spanish gas cylinder which we took with us to swap over whilst we were there. I did the feeding it through the BBQ port thing which worked a treat.:wink2:

We had a great time all in all. All the sites worked out however the main one - Camping Didota near Oropesa - was very tight for our unit on the roads within the site (as DJM pointed out in this thread above). Rather annoyingly I had emailed them several time back in August pointing out that we were 8.77m long and needed an accessible pitch. When we got there the first pitch they offered us wasn't even big enough to take the MH! The second one took a lot of too-ing and fro-ing to get around a corner in the internal roads to access it...and the same on the way out too!

Next year we plan to go down for at least weeks: 3 x 2 week stays starting down near Almeria and working our way back up.

If anyone reading this thread wants some input on any of the sites/route etc then please just ask.

Graham :smile2:


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Hi Graham

Yes those pitches are tight at Didota, I struggled at 7 mtrs lol

Didota does suffer from those caterpillars in summer that are harmful to pets too.

Did you walk down to Marina D'or and was it lit up 

Dave


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

DJMotorhomer said:


> Hi Graham
> 
> Yes those pitches are tight at Didota, I struggled at 7 mtrs lol
> 
> ...


Hi Dave

We walked there in daylight so didnt see the lights. Nice gardens down there though.

Graham:smile2:


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

Welcome Home Graham.

Great to hear that you had an enjoyable incident free holiday.

Drew


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## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

GMJ said:


> Well, we are back now :smile2:
> 
> I did the feeding it through the BBQ port thing which worked a treat.:wink2:
> 
> Graham :smile2:


Never ever thought of this as an option.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Didn't you once have internet to let me know you were safe :frown2: Selfish.

Welcome home, pleased to hear most of it was trouble free.


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## p-c (Oct 27, 2007)

Hi Graham

Glad you had a good time. You say " we walked on the beach" does that meean the warmer weather helped with mobility?

I hope so as i need it as a selling point to SWMBO for a longer winter trip.

Kind regards.

p-c


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Welcome home


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

p-c said:


> Hi Graham
> 
> Glad you had a good time. You say " we walked on the beach" does that meean the warmer weather helped with mobility?
> 
> ...


Hi p-c

Yes the warmer climate noticeably helped with Mrs GMJ's health. Her asthma was vastly improved and she only became chesty when we got north of Bordeaux again where the weather was grim. The flatness of where were were staying was a great aid to mobility as well.

Thanks

Graham:smile2:


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

JanHank said:


> Didn't you once have internet to let me know you were safe :frown2: Selfish.


Rubbish internet but free.

Part of our enjoyment of getting way is that we get away...and that includes emails/forums/internet etc

Graham :smile2:


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Were the peacocks still there......I never knew peacocks could fly !!!

Dave


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

DJMotorhomer said:


> Were the peacocks still there......I never knew peacocks could fly !!!
> 
> Dave


Yes...showing off too but not flying. There was also a pure white one there as well!

Graham :smile2:


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

GMJ said:


> Rubbish internet but free.
> Part of our enjoyment of getting way is that we get away...and that includes emails/forums/internet etc
> Graham :smile2:


But then we wouldn't get all those pics from home of snow covered lawns Graham. While we are basking.

Ray.


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Yes we saw the pure white one


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Home already Graham?! Feels like no time at all! Hope it felt longer to you ;-)


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

jiwawa said:


> Home already Graham?! Feels like no time at all! Hope it felt longer to you ;-)


Thanks

We tend to find that the trip speeds up, the longer we are on it. The last week which we took coming home just flew by.

The 2 weeks we were there was long, leisurely and languid though :smile2:

Graham :smile2:


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Glad to hear that your trip went well Grayham. Well, other than the start! 

Ron


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