Valencia Region & Settling into Eddie

9/12

early morning runs  - hard to handle  - body numb, icy cold lips,facial skin hurting, bronchi burning. Just get it together at end of session. Walked into village to get more groceries. Start of Eddie’s School - maths,reading,researching. Out for a celebratory comida at La Vela -warm,toasty,feast.  

10/12

beautiful day. Still cold ( 3 degrees). Fussing about Eddie, re-organising our stuff in the right spaces and clearing out excess. Loving how little we need to feel fat on the good stuff of life! Time to go! BIG grocery shop at Mercadona. Jamon sandwiches by the El Campello beach. Decatholon first destination for more warm gear & quick drying clothes, program Tom Tom, stalling & bunny hopping the motorhome out of the campsite to overnight stop at Torrevieja where we’re meeting up again with the Swatmanns. All good......... Tom Tom confused......lost,more lost,dark,tired,kids & adults squabbling, trying to get directions in Spanish...aaggghh?!*! Finally there -a sea of motorhomes all closed down for the night. Weird elation, exhaustion, whisky!

GRATITUDES

 Wil - grateful for my prohibition when wanting to spend his Xmas $ in London on a leatherman. Very grateful that Dad helped him explore the idea of a skateboard instead.

Kel - grateful for having Wil to play with.

Jeff - grateful for the unknown, whatever it was that helped him work hard through school & Uni which has allowed him an excellent job & thus lifestyle choices like this!

Jen - grateful for everyone’s adventurous spirit & resilience in negotiating congested airports,LONG flights, endless queues,poor sleep, cramped living, challenging toileting, thermal extremes & constant mindfulness to team, rather than self motivated behaviour.

11/12 

woke to streams of middle-aged people walking across the car park into nearby streets and returning with all sorts of goodies especially oranges & flowers. The kids are whizzing about other motorhomes excitedly in the massive open flat bitumen space on the new skateboard & scooter whilst Jeff & I look on,cuppa in hand, to watch their tumbles,tears & improving skill jubilation. Kel & I follow the local folk to a Sat am market where 2 or more kms of pretty suburbian streets are lined with food,flower,fruit,jamon(Spanish cured ham specialty)& jewellery stalls. Can’t resist the massive strawberries & nuts. Back at “home”,Glen has arrived with two friends to continue Eddie’s handover and to share lunch  - all you can eat for E3(euro)! A bit more nesting shopping ( quilt, pillows,cereal jars...) Dinner of turron, pan de higo,hot chocolate & coffee( Spanish nougat; fig bread).Luxury!

SUN 12/12

Cold & windy - can run in cold but not both. Stayed in bed a bit longer. Moving out today - Wil's in charge of emptying toilet!?. Cutting the umbilical cord with the Swatmanns - eek! IT access proving VERY frustrating  - learned to collect  coffee at McDonalds and use their Wifi.Making our way to Murcia for gas to heat & cook. Hope to get in a hot bath,hammas, along the way and snuggle closer to Granada to visit the Alhambra.

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