Week 7: Unsettled

Sunday 27th September-Saturday 3rd October

Where we have stayed:

Sunday 27th and Monday 28th September-WeCamp Campsite, San Sebastián

Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th September- Camping Zumia, Gipuzkoa, Spain

Thursday 1st October-Vanventure Camper Park, Potes, Cantabria, Spain

Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd October- Camping Naranjo de Bulnes, Las Arenas, Spain

This week:

It feels like it has been a really long week. We have both felt unsettled and that it has been a tougher week, but we are not quite sure why?

On Sunday we drove over the border into Spain. During the last 'big trip' we drove through France and the Somport Tunnel, to come into Spain on the East coast. We both remember vividly coming out of the tunnel and the skies suddenly changing and there being a big expanse of blue and everything feeling easy and relaxed. We had been eagerly looking forward to spending more time in Spain and exploring the west coast. Unfortunately, this time, we did not get the same feeling. The roads have been busy and boisterous with erratic lorries and overtaking manoeuvres. The road layouts have felt complicated and unfamiliar. Finding campsites has just been a little trickier and we have struggled to find a place where we have felt settled. It has also made us realise how much French we now know between us, not to a conversational level but we know thousands of words and can quickly work out emergency information on road signs etc. We are unsure if knowing hardly any Spanish and no Basque has added to the feeling this week.

WeCamp in San Sebastian was at the top of a very big hill! I only closed my eyes occasionally on the way up and felt exhausted just by seeing the cyclists setting off up the hill, with no electric! The campsite was very comfortable with modern facilities and private pitches. We arrived about lunchtime, ate in the van and then went into the city. There was a bus that went directly from outside the campsite and took about 30 minutes. Dogs were allowed on the bus, as long as they sat on a lap. The bus driver, was talking to us in Basque and gesturing to us that Yogi was too big...but Steve scrunched Yogi up as much as he could whilst holding him (like a slinky toy) and told the drive, in English, it would be fine. We got on. The people sat next to us even commented on what well behaved dogs we have, ohh we really don't! I spent the journey looking out the window and thinking 'I'm not walking back up this bloody hill if the return bus driver does not let us on!'.

We walked all along the promenade around the sweeping beach and at the other side, sat down for ice cream and a rest. It was really humid and everyone needed a break. We did manage to get the bus back up. I stood at the front of the queue holding Bear, and Steve snuck in behind us, holding Yogi out of the bus drivers direct site. However, it was a busy bus on the way back and having to stand up whilst holding the dogs and it was a wiggly road and hot, was not ideal for any of us. We decided to head back into San Sebastian the next day but for me to go in the morning and Steve in the afternoon. This meant the dogs could stay in the van and have a less stressful day.

Also, whilst back at the campsite at about 4pm we noticed a funny noise a few times. It sounded like something in distress, but we couldn't quite place it. It kept coming and going, so we didn't investigate and just thought it was odd. We were eating dinner later that evening and the sound worsened and just kept going. Bear was beside himself, with his tail under him and wanting to sit on my lap, terrified by the noise and Yogi was jumping at the back of the sofa behind me, trying to get out the window to see what it was. Steve put his head out of the van door and thought that two dogs may be fighting. It sounded horrendous. We did not want the dogs distressed or outside and there were people seeming to gather outside to see, so we closed the window and the door so we could finish our dinner...although getting hotter and hotter as it was another hot and humid day. The noise continued off and on and after about another half hour I went out to see what it was. The dog in the van next door had been tied up outside their van, with the owners having gone out and the dog seemed to get more and more distressed when people went past. I went to reception to ask if we could move because of the noise, as our dogs were so distressed by it and to express concern that the dog had been left outside whilst the owners were out. I was told firmly we could not move they were fully booked that night, I could not bother to argue but the pitch the other side of us was empty and it was about 9.30pm/10pm. The receptionist's English was excellent and she said the site knew these people and would ring them to come back. I asked that she did not say I had complained, as we would still be on the pitch next to them and my main concern was for the dog. She said that she would say that staff kept hearing the dog, which she clarified they had. She then said 'we all know this dog, it does not bark, the noise is very distinct, more like a ...duck!' Interesting summary, we agreed on a duck being murdered.

That evening we also realised just how wonky our pitch was, we had the wedges already in place, but they were not really doing much. This is not the end of the world, but Steve was determined we were moving pitches the following day, having spent the night having to keep shuffling back into the middle of the bed as he kept rolling down. Steve spoke to the receptionist the following morning and he was given carte blanche to choose whatever pitch he wanted!

We both managed to explore a little more of San Sebastián the following day, eating some of the sweet treats, seeing different buildings and parks, old town and shops. Neither of us could think of many other cities with a beach at such close proximity.

It said it was a Basque delicacy. Not sure what it was it very tasty. A custard in the middle of the pastry and nuts on top.

Opps! Don’t know who the people are but where I got the pastry from!

When we were both back that evening...we then noticed the bugs! We had had all the windows open all day due to the heat and humidity, with the fly screens across the windows but noticed some bugs on the inside of the van which were about the size of the top of a thumb. Steve looked these up to find out what they were and they are called Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs. You should not squish them as they release an awful smell and like warm places. They seemed to like to settle in the gap between our open windows and fly screens. Over that evening and the following day we evicted about 40 from the van!!!

We then headed to Camp Zumia, about a 50 minute drive from San Sebastián. The campsite again was nice and we were glad that we seemed to have won the war with the bugs. There were far less in this area. However, we really struggled with the heat all day. We knew from the forecast that it was going to be a hot day and to keep cool we spent a lot of the day in the van with the aircon on. We are really pleased we got the aircon fitted and it has been really useful but at the same time, we really did not expect it to be 30 degrees all day at the very end of September. It has also been very humid, with the forecast outlining about 70% humidity. 30 degrees outside also means about 35 degrees in the van. Normally even when it hot during the day, it cools a lot overnight but it remained 27 degrees until midnight. We have never had the air con on overnight and didn't during this night either. In this instance, this was partly because the aircon had been playing up. When we left San Sebastián, we disconnected from the electric hook up without turning the aircon off first, the aircon unit became very unhappy and got itself all out of sequence. Normally there is a panel in the van which we can control the aircon from as well as our phones but it all got itself confused. In essence we were struggling to either turn the aircon on or off. Steve knew how to have to re set it but I wanted him to wait until the following day when it was due to be a lot cooler to do this, in case we then could not get it on at all.

It was an uncomfortable and broken night as the wind also picked up. Making it impossible to have the top vents in the van open.

It was a lot cooler, although still very humid the next day and we walked into the town for a look around. I am not trying to be grumpy or pessimistic, it was fine but nothing special and nowhere we want to return to or spend longer in.

We spent a long time looking at maps and campsites, trying to work out where we should go next and why it wasn't really working or what it was that we were not enjoying. We weren't sure and came back to 'just a feeling'

(Ohh saying that, before going to Zumia campsite, I did some food shopping and found a big lump of strong cheddar cheese. This being the highlight probably emphasises our discontent this week.)

We drove about 2.5 hours to get to the mountains and went past some really unattractive places. This seemed to be som massive plant in one town with tall chimneys either side of the road breathing fire???

(We also struggled to work out/read signs. So I took pictures to then translate them. Sully is over 3.5t, but we still could quite work this out? We think that we could not go on the A-8 between Km115 and 119 but still not sure why? It’s like a 4 lane motorway. Anyway we tucking in behind a lorry, knowing this was 7.5t and stayed with it. Thank you to the lorry, it had no idea it routed us around Bilboa.)

We decided to head to the Picos mountains. The temperature was due to be about 25 and it had been part of the original plan. We headed to Potes and finally felt a bit more upbeat. The mountain views were great and the road to Potes was fantastic. I wouldn't normally get this excited about roads but the road was very smooth and incredibly well kept, whilst being in the middle of a mountain range. I think as the roads in the UK are generally quite bad now with lots of potholes, the quality and care taken to keep this road in such good condition really stood out. We also really loved the town of Potes, which was a short walk from the camping car park we stayed at. The town was small but interesting and pretty. I struggle more with veggie food in Spain, but even this far up in the mountains they had a veggie burger. It was brilliant to be in the mountain air and for it to be cool and crisp, without the oppressive humidity. It also dropped to 16 degrees overnight, which was heavenly. We both slept for a whole night, the first time this week.

                       Everyone loved Potes!!

We then headed to another campsite in the Picos mountains in Las Arenas.  Another really pretty area and the campsite had a small bar/restaurant on site and it was about a 20 minute walk into another little town. 

On the Friday, Steve decided he was going to do a long walk on the Saturday to climb one of the mountain paths and head out for 8-10 hours. Not a walk for our dogs...nor me, of all the things I can now do with my knee, walking down hill is really the only lasting issue. The boys and I planned a lazy day. However the weather turned and there was a yellow weather warning, with rain, lightening and strong winds. So Steve decided not to go. It literally rained all day. Thank goodness the campsite seemed to have really good drainage but we were a little concerned as to how quickly and how wet the ground was getting, with all pitches on the grass. The river which was behind us was also rising. It turned out we all had a very lazy day, with a small adventure/dash to the bar to get some chips with garlic mayonnaise... the only veggie item on the menu!

                 River behind us during the rain. The same one the boys paddled in in the pictures above.

                                Soggy dog wanting a chip.

                      Indignant dog, not happy he was damp and believing that sitting on the floor was beneath him!

The random bits:

Ok, now finished Tidlelands and Darktides. I did not realise there was then a 3rd book in the series called Dawnlands, so have now started this. The three books together are brilliant and pick up different parts of the story and different character, as you read all three books. I have also just started Coastliners by Joann Harris.

Steve is reading another Lee Child book.

Of course we are watching Traitors Celebrity!! We are also watching Season 2 of Mobland as it comes out weekly. We both loved Mobland Season 1 and this is just as good. 

The only veggie item in one cafe was tortilla in a sandwich. I still can't envision how this would work.

Yogi has been sick... I have completed haircuts this week with the fermanator for both of them and we have booked to get their nails cut on Monday.

Things in the van: 

I-Iphones, inhalers, Internet, insulated drink bottle, instruction manuals, inflatable paddle board (Insects!!!)

J- Jumpers-for humans and dogs, juicer 

K- Kindles, kettlebell, kite

L- Lint roller, laundry bin, life jackets-Bear's for swimming, lip balm