Oldies On Tour

Sunday 25th February 2024

This morning we have arranged to meet up with Frank and Sue for coffee at the El Cafe Africa place, but upon arrival and as we had the dogs had to sit outside but unfortunately it is not a large area and there were many smokers so decided to move on, and headed up to the new Panaderia instead.   Having learned our lesson from earlier in the week, we only ordered a double bacon bap, couldn’t face another “huge” baguette!!!

After a very sociable morning; not so warm today but dry😃😃 we headed home and prepared for Jim and Hazel who were coming round for dinner: Also this afternoon France are at home to Italy in the last of this weekend’s 6-nations but unfortunately the KO is 1600hrs, the same time as Jim and Hazel are arriving still, most probably France will wipe the floor with Italy so no great loss to miss it.

At the appointed hour our guests arrived loaded with oranges from their “prolific” orange trees; wonderful, and many thanks, they will be thoroughly enjoyed. Now we sat down and enjoyed pre-dinner drinks on the patio in the sun, though there was some wind so coats were the order of the day.

During one of my trips to the “bar” for re-fills, and nearing FT, out of interest I quickly looked up the score and shock, horror, Italy were drawing 13 – 13, can they will win????maybe………., yes………, as the French gave away a penalty just as the clock went into the red.  With the French crowd stunned and the Italians chewing their finger nails, the kicker placed the ball on the tee and walked back but as he turned around, the ball fell off the tee.   He now had to replace it as the clock relentlessly ticked on; his time for this kick was running down, he had to get a move on and therefore rushed the process and took the kick; the ball hit the post, no extra 3-points so it was a draw, 13 each.   Chatting to some like minded people, I had missed a really good game, French failed and Italy raised their game; I must find time to watch it on catch-up.

We had a good evening together, just like old times eating, drinking and playing crib before they headed off quite late.

Friday 23rd February 2024

It is Market day in Pilar de La Horadada, so after breakfast and sorting ourselves out, we headed there; nothing much had changed and though we didn’t need anything, one can’t be in Spain on market day and not have “churros con chocolate”. normally we would have a dozen but as we were heading out to lunch, “reluctantly” we  had to make do with just 6-between us😡😡😡.   Oh yes, we did buy an orange squeezer as we were back enjoying our daily glass of freshly squeezed oranges.

Lunch today is with Mary at “Meson El Prado”, a popular Spanish restaurant in San Miguel frequented by many English people!!!  Still we had a good lunch and it was good to catch up with Mary.

Heading back to the villa, we stopped off for a few cans of Guinness in preparation for tomorrow, and having had long lingering lunch, we did nothing else, just flopped in front of the TV for the evening.

Saturday 24th February 2024

Nothing much happening today other than an afternoon of six nations rugby matches this afternoon; Ireland V Wales and Scotland V England, but first we had the morning to get through.

The sun was shining so headed to the village for a coffee and whatever we fancied on arrival!!!   There have been a number of changes to the “hostelries” in the village, one being the “panaderia”; it’s moved and that’s where we chose to go.

We overcooked our order.  We ordered a baguette with double bacon between us but what turned up would have been plenty for four people, still we managed to finish it!!!!!!

Back at home Christine went to sit in the sun whilst I poured my Guinness and sat in front of the tele.   

The first game was disappointing by Wales, but Ireland put on a master class performance and won 31 – 7.  Now for the Calcutta Cup, and England need a good performance not to mention the fact that Scotland have won the last three fixtures; England Expects and all that, but no, a dismissal performance by England who lost 30 – 21; is the coaching team at fault????

Having enjoyed a few cans of Guinness we settled in for another quiet evening; must be getting old!!!

Thursday 22nd February 2024

The dreaded alarm woke us at some un-Godly hour; self inflicted of course!!, but we are on a mission.  We are heading back to Campoverde and being Thursday, it is Cribbage day, yes the Crib school is still flourishing and we want to join in, hence the early start.

Under normal circumstances it is just under two hours to get there but being a Monday morning, who knows so we left earlier, allowing extra time for hold ups.   A final clear-up and a check around the gardens for dogs “poos”, and we were off.  

Up to Alicanté the AP7 was fine, we were on schedule but the road around Alicanté was stop go, stop go and our extra time was being whittled away, but eventually the traffic disappeared and we could “put the pedal to the metal” and hopefully we can get some time back .

We pulled into the car park in Campoverde with five minutes to spare and met up with Malcolm and Mary in the car park, phew, not late!!

It was very nice to catch-up with the “originals”, and good to meet a few new players, but more importantly to know the “Campoverde cribbage school” is still thriving thanks to Hazel and Jim, though it was strange to be returning the Lucia’s after several years; but all good.

This visit we have arranged to stay in our old house in Calle Acebo, but wouldn’t be collecting the keys until the afternoon so stayed on at Lucia’s for a “menu del dia”; 3-courses and a drink all for €8 (circa £6.80); slight change though, only one glass of wine not half a bottle!!!

Keys collected and in we went.   It felt strange going back into the “old” place, especially as Lee and Sarah only use it as a holiday home at present and not a lot has changed, yet.  The garden however has matured nicely over the last few years and Christine was really chuffed after all her hard work in the early days of our ownership planting up etc.   The dogs were happy with all the outside steps and pool area to run around and we settled in for a quiet night before we start our rounds of socialising and catching up with everyone tomorrow.

Tuesday 20th & Wednesday 21st February 2024

Tuesday is a “chill-out” day, glorious wall to wall sunshine, what else can we want??  This weather is also slowing the dogs down; their running, by their own actions are telling us when it is time to STOP!!!!!   They have also avoided taking a dip in the pool though at times they do treat the pool as a drinking hole!   My shorts came out today and Christine sun bathed in her swimming costume 

Watched another film in the evening before heading to bed 

Tuesday, again we woke up to glorious sunshine morning, though a little chilly until the sun gets higher in the sky.  Today we are heading out Moraira, about 30-minutes away, a beach town and somewhere different.

En route we found the cheapest fuel station so far, diesel was €1.38 per litre so squeezed in as much as we could.   This looked like a brand new petrol station so we think we got their introductory offer, still no problem, we will take that!!!

Arrived and found a parking spot, plenty about but there seemed a scarcity of ticket machines.   Whilst I sorted the dogs and car Christine went to buy a parking ticket.   Oh dear, what a problem and it took ages not helped by the sunlight straight on it, so following the instructions was a nightmare, still as one would expect, Christine conquered it!!!  We decided I should take “Solo” so we could give the dogs a fairly long walk; but first coffee.

We found a very busy cafe on the beach promenade but it was full, mainly cyclists; we’ve seen a lot of them today, why aren’t they at work??? No room so we went next door, what a mistake, that’s probably why they were empty, no “English Breakfast Tea”, only “funny ones” to her!!!, so Christine went without, but she did put a brave face on it🥶🥶, and enjoyed some freshly squeezed oranges; not the same I know 😝😝.

Though the sun was shining there was a chilled breeze coming off the sea, still we had a good walk and found the council’s dog enclosure in the park so they had “extra” this morning.

With our two hours up we headed back the car and as we were breaking down “Solo” a Good Samaritan came by and offered to help lift it into the car, what a nice friendly man, “not too many of them to the pound these days”.  We were now on our way home, we have to pack as we’re on the move again first thing in the morning.

After we finished with the sun, we packed away the outside furniture; “leave everything as you find it!!”,  packed our bags ready for the off tomorrow, the plan is to be away by 0730hrs🤞🤞🤞

Sunday 18th February 2024

A day of doing nothing, no alcohol, just enjoying the sunshine, and being lazy.

Monday 19th February 2024

We had set an alarm this morning in case we overslept as we have to be in Campoverde today, a two hour drive.  We have set ourselves a number of tasks to achieve before meeting up with friends for lunch.

A quick breakfast and a short brisk walk for the dogs and we’re away, arriving in Campoverde in plenty of time to let TT & R have a good run-around the enclosed excellent dog exercising area provided by the local council, dog bags included!!!

Our first mission was the dentist for me and the Vets for Christine.  Rosie was having a checkup before being “spayed” next week.   The only reason for having her done here is simple, here it is about £300 less than our local vets in Somerset!!!

The dentist was waiting for me, it’s so good to be able to get into a dentist, albeit 2,000kms  away.  Mind you we have been using this dentist for the past 18-years!!!!   When I was “done”, I walked out and took over the dogs as Christine went in for her dental work.  I was now heading to my next mission; visit the optician, I need a new pair of glasses and I had my prescription with me, forward planning or what??

All our tasks went to plan and we headed off to a beach restaurant in El Mojon to meet Helena and Roger together with Sue and Frank.   Our arrival was spot-on, we arrived at the table at the precise time to be greeted by the gang who had only just sat down.

We had a very enjoyable lunch near the beach, in shirt sleeves enjoying the winter sun, 24-degrees😂😂😂😂.  

On leaving the restaurant we made a “nostalgic” visit to the local Mercadona supermarket for food before setting off on our 2-hr return journey; we also took the opportunity to do a fleeting visit to Mary’s for a quick cuppa; see you again next week Mary.  

Now on our way and we were very happy as we had achieved everything we set out to do and more importantly my toothache has gone!!!

Back at the villa we had a snack and settled down to watch something.   We flicked through the menu and by chance came across a quite extraordinary four-part TV series (2021) on Netflix called “You Don’t Know Me”; it was a slow burner but we got engrossed so “binge-watched” the 4 x 1-hour episodes.  It’s about a court case but the background story is the main event, with a twist of course; I’ll say no more!!!

We are both knackered so immediately headed to bed, we have two clear days before heading off again.

Saturday 17th February 2024

Our last leg starts this morning, so after exercising the dogs we had breakfast, a minimal typical continental, still it did the job and was included in the room price!!!!    We headed south but first we had to scrape the car as there was an overnight frost, would you believe it??  Our destination is Martin’s villa in Alcalali, three and a half hours away.

A good easy drive and with the sun shining, what else could we wish for.   One stop for dogs and coffee and arrived in time for a late snack lunch.

Once sorted we were outside getting the sun, after all that was our main objective to come here!!!  Apart from dinner we did nothing, other than empty the car and just lounge about, it was lovely and tomorrow will be another day of doing nothing, giving the car a rest as well!!!

Sunday 18th February 2024

Simple, nothing other than laundry, {6-nights with friends and hotels}, lots of sun and a “dry” day following 6-days of indulging!!!